This is a useful question, as people who aren’t sure how to inject themselves might have friends or other people inject them.
Research shows that this may increase the risk for HIV, Hep B or Hep C because people who rely on others to inject them are often last in line in the drug division and injection process. They may also be exposed to infection from used injection equipment. If you want to learn how to inject safely and independently, the Toward the Heart video and Sharp Shooters guide have helpful information about how to safely inject.
Meth can be taken orally, smoked or snorted, eliminating the need for others to inject you, and reducing the risk of passing infections.
No matter how people consume meth, we encourage using new supplies every time and safely disposing used supplies. You can get free crack pipes, needles, injection equipment and sharps containers from different places around Manitoba. Many of these locations also give out Naloxone overdose response kits. If you rely on others to supply meth for you, there may be an overdose risk because of uncertainty about the source, dose or other drugs that could be mixed into the meth. Having Naloxone could save a life if someone has an accidental opioid overdose.
Last, if you’re injecting, we encourage testing for HIV, Hep B, Hep C and syphilis. Testing is the only way to know if you have a current infection, and can help keep you and the people around you healthy. Talk to your doctor or regular health clinic, or contact Nine Circles if you’d like to get tested.
