Harm Reduction How to Get Needles Mega Thread

[Captain.Heroin]

Below is a chart from another source that I copied and reformatted slightly so that it would read a little easier.

I believe I linked to this source in the original post.

Did you read the BLUA and the Other Drugs rules? Sourcing only applies to drugs, and non-harm reduction supplies/products.

 

[k.dre]

I didnt realize that your chart was the same as what I listed. The formatting was different and I didn't think that isletsofhope actually did the report so I didn't want to give that site credit.

As for the BLUA, I've read it and like everything else in life, it's open to interpretation. So rather tham get dinged for "intentionally violating BLUA", I put a caveat on my post. It's leftover CYA from working in law firms for a decade.

 

[Love In Vein]

the only time the parmacist gave me any sort of problems ie "what kind of insulin do you you?" giving me the ol' eyeball. i simply said "good thing the sobeys(grocery store) next door has a pharmacy, eh?" and walked out the door

Simply say"doctor patient confidentiality". All you need to know is that you were not planning on returning home tonight and that you thought you brought your new pack or syringes, but actually only have one.

 

[CaliCo61]

I really appreciate all of this information, not to mention the time and effort. Thanks everyone.

...and...Love in Vein - i LOVE your handle.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I really appreciate all of this information, not to mention the time and effort. Thanks everyone.

No problem, any time. I hope that this guide goes to help people prevent disease transmission, as well as avoid having to reuse needles. Even if you are just IVing by yourself, and are only re-using your own needles, it's still not something anyone should have to do. Cleaning one out for re-use is time-consuming, and the dull needle tip does not do justice to your veins.

 

[exquisite_corpse]

For anyone in the pittsburgh, pa area, there is a needle exchange program called prevention point pittsburgh (PPP); they even have a website (google it). They operate at a couple different locations at certain times during the week. Not only do they provide clean rigs, but also other helpful stuff like cookers, cottons, swabs, and more. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

For anyone in the pittsburgh, pa area, there is a needle exchange program called prevention point pittsburgh (PPP); they even have a website (google it). They operate at a couple different locations at certain times during the week. Not only do they provide clean rigs, but also other helpful stuff like cookers, cottons, swabs, and more. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

Go ahead and post about it in this thread.

This would be the appropriate place to discuss exchanges in your locale.

It would also be helpful to list the specific gauges and types of insulin syringes/luer lock needles they stock, as not all exchanges stock all needles.

 

[mafekire]

Vegas = IV Users version of Hell

I recently went to Vegas for a weekend and brought a nice amount of Heroin with me ( I am fucking slick, don't ask me how I did this ) but chose to not bring needles with me because I didn't want them to more thoroughly search me because they were in my luggage, not did I want to pay 20$ to check a bag just for this purpose and it was too late to Fed Ex them.

So the second I checked into my hotel I got a cab and started the pharmacy rounds. After several hours of looking and hitting one branch of each major chain pharmacy, I learned that none of them would sell syringes without a scrip. At this point I went back to the hotel and searched online for alternatives and started calling smaller pharmacies. No luck, ended the night smoking my H disappointed with myself for lack of foresight. The next day I started to hit pharmacies one by one (making sure not to re-visit any from the previous day) and tried to pull the right to life excuse for insulin and needles, no avail again, just a bunch of "very sorry" pharmacist's, most politely explaining that they could easily lose their job over it. After exhausting all this I began trying pet stores, and finally, a yes to my inquiry about syringes, I almost creamed my pants, I wanted to shout with joy, and then I asked about 28-31 guage and the answer ruined my day, no pet stores sold any needles that were anywhere near suitable for IV, if memory servers, smallest was 21 I believe.


If you are going to be visiting Vegas, make sure to plan ahead for syringes, borrow some sort of proof that you or someone close to you has diabetes, like a half empty Insulin bottle or something that couldn't be easily plucked out of a waste bin. Either that or mail/order them to be shipped to your hotel the day before you check in (as long as a hotel has you registered as a guest they will receive your package, if they wont, you need to stop staying in hotels that offer hour long "nap" rates).

 

[ritewing]

OMG op i can't believe its such a big deal... it's a needle WOW. They should be handed out to whoever needs them!

In australia needles are free whether it be for intra muscular or intra venous... no questions asked. We even have free home delivery of needles and all equipment like fitpack spoons and swabs and sterile water etc provided by the same public health service. Obviously its helping prevent the spread of hep c etc.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I've brought new and used needles in my luggage before; so if this helps you plan for your vacation better next time, that is what I would do.

 

[MrRoot]

There are needle swaps in Vegas too but you have to check them out in Internet. One buddy of mine needed those to finish his hormone cycle during our trip to Vegas and it took few hours to find them.

Btw. Whats that insulin excuse people try to put always? Dont you have pens that are prefilled with insulin and you just adjust the amount of units neaded from the canister side of the pen by turning the knob and then put the pen on the skin and just hit the button to to inject the dose. They last for a month and are recycled in pharmacies after that.

Our pharmacies have not dispensed insulin on a bottles for over two decades except for private healthcare professionals.

 

[HeroInMyVeins]

How can I acquire needles?

First of all, I already have IV'd things I know the dangers. But what makes it more dangerous is I have to reuse needles like 5 times due to syringes being hard to get.

I'm pretty young and young looking too. Whenever I go to a pharmacy and ask to get some 1cc 28 guage syringes they ask for a prescription and refuse to sell them to me. I hear about other people getting them fine no questions asked.
I just get dirty looks from the pharmacists. I've tried several different pharmacies and same thing everywhere.

So for the sake of harm reduction how can I get new sterile syringes.

I live in Southern California if this helps.

 

[Areyouhappynow1]

Amazon maybe, not sure how comfortable you are ordering offline (or online whatever). Just looked on there and they're selling some cheap 1cc needles for insulin, although the quality of the needle in terms of craftsmanship may be a bit sketchy according to some reviewers.

 

[Korn3x]

i'm pretty sure you can order them online if they're that hard to get from your pharmacy. ive had some people try to tell me no before, but i just ask to speak to the main pharmacist on duty. sometimes they'll try to say you have to get your insulin from them in order for you to be able to acquire syringes, but i just tell them i get it from costco back home (we don't have a costco in our town), and i ran out of syringes. all the while i'm very polite, and i also make sure i'm not sportin' any track marks on my arms. if it's someone new that doesn't recognize me, i just say that ive never had a problem buying them from this location before, and then they usually ring me up.

confidence is key. i also live in a state where it's not mandatory to have a prescription.

edit: if you do a search, i think we have a megathread for harm reduction purposes on websites that sell quality products.

 

[GRINCH3369]

heres the link to where i use to buy them, i use to live in san diego. i know its hard to get them unless you know alot of people like that used. i use to get a free one with every purchase lol.
anyways only reason why im posting the link is because i know how it reusing needles it tore my arms up and still have some battle wounds, anyways stay safe..
http://www.atlanticmedsupply.com/sh...and+Syringes&gclid=CJrxs57uoqkCFQkFbAodfyC4uA

 

[amapola]

>>>merged

Check out the first post

 

[Captain.Heroin]

First of all, I already have IV'd things I know the dangers. But what makes it more dangerous is I have to reuse needles like 5 times due to syringes being hard to get.

I'm pretty young and young looking too. Whenever I go to a pharmacy and ask to get some 1cc 28 guage syringes they ask for a prescription and refuse to sell them to me. I hear about other people getting them fine no questions asked.
I just get dirty looks from the pharmacists. I've tried several different pharmacies and same thing everywhere.

So for the sake of harm reduction how can I get new sterile syringes.

I live in Southern California if this helps.

There are a lot of needle exchanges in southern California.

 

[keys_to_paradise]

Awesome post Captain. My exact words when I buy needles is this:

"Hi, I need a box of B&D Slimline 31 gauge 1/2CC short tips"

That's all I have to say and bam, they sell them to me. If they give me any shit I just say that my dog is diabetic and that I have to give em his medicine. If they get smart and ask what you give him just reply:

"I give him 15 units of Humalog in the morning and 40 at night after he eats"

That usually shuts em right up and they sell em to ya. Good luck everyone!

^^great advice, tried this today and it worked wonderfully, at a place that i had been refused rigs before, thanks so much

 

[~NaStYNaI~]

OK,so I wanted to know if ther is ANYBODY out ther on Bluelight that lives in NEW HAMPSHIRE. Near Somersworth,Dover,Rochester.I want to know if you know the needle purchase laws here.Im a bit scared to go into a pharmacy and ask for them.Also can I just purchase one or two of them? ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN OR NEAR NEW HAMPSHIRE PLEASE GET BACK TO ME,OR PLEASE SEND ME A MESSSAGE .THANK YOU

 

[k.dre]

I just moved to NH but I believe you can buy them otc in the state. I've heard one of the name brand chain pharmacies won't sell them without a script, but I can't remember which one.

If all else fails, go to MA where I know you can buy them without a script. You just need an id.