A Guide To Intravenous Use
PUBLISHED ON 05/12/25
It’s common for people who use drugs to inject their drugs intravenously. It has a fast onset and you don’t need to use as much to achieve the same high as other routes of administration, such as smoking or snorting. However, intravenous use also presents a unique risk for error and infection, especially when you’re shooting yourself up.
injection sites you use to keep those veins healthy and from collapsing. The hands and feet are riskier because the veins in the hands are thinner and more delicate. This makes hands more likely to bruise and increases the chances of track marks. Legs can be convenient for hiding track marks.
Depending on another person to shoot you up takes away your autonomy to choose how and when you get high. This also puts you at risk for being taken advantage of. Learning how to shoot up yourself allows you to be in control. What can be the most intimidating part of shooting is properly anchoring the needle into the vein and registering.
The groin area is a risky place to shoot. This is because of the large femoral vein that passes close to the femoral nerve and artery. These are structures that supply blood and feeling to the legs and feet. Damage to these structures with a missed shot could be devastating. It is very hard to see the femoral vein so if you plan on using in the groin, you should be somewhere you can take your time and properly shoot. This is a high risk area and shouldn’t be done in a rush.
Registering refers to pulling the plunger up slightly to confirm whether the needle tip is fully in the vein, or anchored. If there is a small amount of darker red blood that comes into the syringe barrel when the plunger is pulled, the needle is properly anchored. This guide will discuss the environment you choose to use in, supplies (tourniquet, needle sizes, skin cleansing and after care needs), selecting a vein including rotating injection sites, and tips on safer injection drug use.
Preparing to Shoot Choosing Where to Shoot Both the environment where you are shooting up and the location on your body are important things to consider. If you need to use in an open area with lots of foot traffic, shooting in your hands may seem like the more discreet and convenient option. However, there are thinner veins in the hands and feet, so there is an increased risk of trauma if you are rushed and need to “slam” (inject very quickly) your shot due to lack of privacy. If you’re able to use in a bathroom or another private place, this is ideal as you may be more likely to shoot in the arms using a tourniquet. How you shoot up will depend on your situation at the moment. Knowing what veins are available to you and what risks come with them can help you prevent infection and scarring in your veins. Shooting in the arms is the safest option as these veins are accessible and easier to plump up when shooting due to the arms being closer to the heart than legs. Shooting when veins are hydrated and plumped up is the safest way to shoot up. It’s also important to rotate which arm and
It is riskiest to shoot in your neck veins. These veins are close to the carotid arteries which bring blood directly to the brain. Hitting these arteries can be fatal because damage to the jugular veins will affect blood circulation to the brain. Also, infections (cellulitis or abscesses) in this part of the body can compress your airway and cause you to suffocate. Track marks in the neck are also very difficult to hide. Choosing where on your body to inject can be overwhelming. It’s beneficial to know what potential risks are associated with injecting in different areas of your body. In addition, proper preparation before injecting can help preserve vein health and lessen the risk of life threatening infections such as bacterial infections (sepsis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, ect) which will be discussed later in this guide.
Vein Prep As stated, even though intravenous use may be an efficient route of administration, it is the riskiest way to use drugs. Constantly piercing into veins and missing shots opens up the potential for infections, abscesses, and vein damage. There are precautionary steps you can take before shooting up to improve chances of getting successful shots and minimize health risks. Assuming your drugs are prepped for use, the next steps will be to hydrate and get your blood pumping. You can try running warm water or using a hot compress on the injection site, any form of exercise that is possible to increase your heart rate and blood flow (jumping jacks,
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