PUBLISHED ON 07/02/24
Getting Started with Safer Injection Learning how to safely inject yourself is a critical part of safer drug use. If you know how to get yourself off, you can get high on your own terms! If you don’t know how to safely inject yourself, you are dependent on someone else to get well. This can put you at risk of being taken advantage of by people who might not always be there to help. Self-injection also means you are in charge of your own dose, and know, to the best of your ability, what you are putting in your body. We distribute Getting Off Right, an amazing short book about safety for injection drug users. If you ever need a replacement, you can request one. We’ve included an abbreviated guide here, and are always happy to answer any questions you might have via text, email, or a note in your order. Learning to inject yourself can be difficult and will take practice. If you know an experienced, trusted person who injects drugs, ask them to show you how it’s done. However, remember that even experienced folks do not always follow safer injection practices. The only reliable way to prevent the possible spread of bloodborne infections, like Hepatitis C or HIV, is to avoid using equipment (needle,cotton, or cooker) that has been used by someone else, even a sexual partner or if the equipment has been thoroughly cleaned.
Your Drug of Choice Depressants, like opioids, alcohol, and benzos, can cause sedation, euphoria, and slowed down thinking. They carry the risk of impaired judgment as well as overdose, or respiratory depression. Stimulants, like cocaine/crack, and methamphetamine, cause increased energy and pleasure, but also may induce anxiety, overamping, panic attacks, or heart problems. Both kinds of drugs are known to carry high addictive and dependence potential, which makes you want to use more often and in higher doses. In the United States, most drugs are illegally produced and distributed, which means there are no laws guaranteeing their purity. Recent years have seen an increase in synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, which has led to a sharp rise in accidental overdoses, or other adulterants like Xylazine, which can cause dangerous and destructive wounds. You can obtain test strips from NEXT in order to help you identify some of what is in your drugs, allowing you to make informed choices about what you are putting in your body and when to take extra precautions. The way you take your drugs, or the Route of Administration, can affect how safe your high is. See our ROA one-sheet for information on the pros and cons of different methods of getting off.
Setting
The best physical environment is one where you have privacy, can take as much time as you need, have access to clean running water, have protection from the weather, and are unlikely to encounter law enforcement. This might be When you’re getting ready to get off, it’s your house, or a trusted friend’s place. Spots important to consider your setting (the like subway cars, stairwells, and public parks physical space you’re in, the people you’re are riskier and can lead to rushed shots and with, and how you’re feeling) and the drug you misses. If you are using in a public restroom, try are using (including its purity or contamination, to choose a private stall with a door that locks dose, and route of administration). to avoid strangers walking in but, make sure to unlock the door as soon as you finish your hit.
Before You Inject