NEEDLE SHARING AND SAFE PRACTICES

Theres no other way to put it: Sharing needles is not a good thing. Why? Because blood products – the same blood products in which the HIV virus is found -- can get into the hub of the needle and cause HIV infection. So if you inject drugs then your rule of thumb should be this: never share your needle and never use anyone elses needle.

You can protect yourself from unclean needles if you follow these simple rules:

• Avoid using other people's needles and avoid giving your needles to someone else to use.
• If you are in a situation where you absolutely have to use someone elses needle, clean it thoroughly with bleach. Go through the steps of cleaning the needle with bleach at least three times before you use it.
• Laws state that you can buy at least 10 needles without a prescription. Or you can visit needle exchange programs such as Access Works. They will give you clean needles for free. You can even take your used needles to them and they will dispose them for you.
• The safest rule of thumb is never to use anyone elses needle.

Source: THE PROGRESS OF NATIONS, 2000, UNICEF