Harm Reduction The best filter for injection aside from a micron filter?

[Swimmingdancer]

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MICRON FILTER AND ARE GOING TO INJECT ANYWAY?

I know a bunch of people are just going to immediately say "use a micron filter or don't inject", but in the interest of harm reduction, say someone cannot or will not obtain a micron filter and is going to inject regardless. Isn't it better to give them the options rather than just saying use a micron filter or don't do it at all?

Note: Personally, I am particularly interested in the best filtration methods for heroin, but any info on filtration in general would be useful because I know a lot of people on Bluelight ask questions about injecting pills as well.

I know there was a thread recently that someone posted about using a cigarette filter, but it was closed with the reason given being that there is no way to prove how effective this is. However, I know there have been some studies done on the efficacy of make-shift filters for injection drug use (see example below), so that seems like reliable info to me.

I have also been given advice by some HR centre nurses, which was that the filter hierarchy supposedly is: if you don't have a micron filter, use a filter designed for IV use like the kind you can get from some needle exchanges, if you don't have one of those use a clean piece of a cigarette filter, and if you don't have one of those use a piece of cotton from a Q-tip as a last resort. Anyone have any info on how accurate that is?

I've noticed people on here saying never to use cigarette filters, why is that? And is there a difference between a cigarette filter that comes in a pre-made cigarette and the kind that you can buy for use in rolling your own cigarette? I remember being told at the needle exchange (and also by various IV users) that a cigarette filter is actually probably a better option than a home-made cotton, as the cotton fibers can break off and enter the syringe, and cotton is more likely to harbour bacteria. They also said when using a cigarette filter it's ideal to cut it instead of tearing it and not to crush it up too much, in order to minimize the risk of fibers breaking off. Take this with a grain of salt because this is just based on what people said and I don't know where they got that info - just because someone works at a needle exchange does not necessarily mean they are right about this.

STUDIES:
Here is one study I was able to find that compared micron filters to cigarette filters to cotton balls, and the use of heat or no heat, in preparing morphine pills for injection:
http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/6/1/37

Here is a summary:
1. CIGARETTE FILTER FOLLOWED BY MICRON FILTER: (no heat)
The best option was first using a cigarette filter to remove large particles, followed by a low-porosity 0.22 μm syringe filter, because the micron filter was likely to clog unless a coarser filter was used first. Filtration with a 0.22 μm filter removed virtually all of the tablet-derived particles and could remove some organisms (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Candida), but could not remove small viruses such as Hep C. However, viral infections are mostly due to blood contamination from shared needles/equipment and can be avoided by not sharing. They found that 0.22 μm syringe filters were effective in removing bacteria from 3 out of 4 injections, while larger pore filters such were inadequate at removing bacteria. Using heat in the initial extraction seemed to break some of the bigger particles into smaller particles which were then able to pass through the filter.

2. CIGARETTE FILTER: (no heat)
Two cigarette filters were required to enable the mixture to be taken into a syringe without the filter clogging. The filtered solution still had a milky colour. Part of the liquid remained in the filters, so 2 successive 1 ml rinses with water were used, which recovered most of the remaining morphine. This was recommended when pre-filtering before micron filtering as well, in order to get the most morphine out of the pills. The cigarette filter did not remove all particles, but produced a large reduction in the number of particles >50 μm, and a smaller reduction in particles sized <50 μm.

3. COTTON BALL:
They found cotton balls to be the least adequate but they didn't study them thoroughly as they discarded them as an option early on because they are so variable and porous and did not provide any better recovery of morphine.

CONCLUSION: Filtering with a cigarette filter can remove many of the larger particles but is not adequate for removal of bacteria. Filtering with a 0.22 μm filter removes all the particles and a good percentage of bacteria/organisms. Filtering with a cotton ball is unreliable.

My notes: They did not appear to study the affect of heat on killing bacteria or the possibility of fibers from the cigarette filter or cotton ball getting into the syringe. If anyone can find any other relevant studies I would be very interested in reading them and think they could be of value to this forum. If I find more I will add them to this thread.

...........

STERIFILT FILTER: Here is a study comparing the use of Sterifilt 10 μm filters versus no filtration, but it is pretty basic and does not compare it against using a cigarette filter or cotton.
http://www.ihra.net/files/2010/09/22/516.pdf

...........

TO HEAT OR NOT TO HEAT:
I know a lot of BLers say never heat your dope, because it will dissolve the cuts (anything your drug is adulterated with). However, wouldn't it be better to either cold filter the solution and then heat it, or heat the solution, cool it completely, and then filter it? I know that heating the solution will not kill 100% of all bacteria/viruses/etc, but it does kill some, so surely it is better than nothing. And apparently micron filtering doesn't kill 100% of bacteria/viruses/etc either. So, from the info that I have compiled so far, would it be fair to assume that the best filtration solution when a micron filter is unavailable would be to use a Sterifilt (1st choice) or cigarette filter (2nd choice) and then heat the solution to a brief boil?

So far most of the info I have been able to find on the subject of heating your dope has been from HR pamphlets which recommend heating it in order to kill at least some of the bacteria. Such as this one and this one.

There was a study that found that HIV-1 is inactivated once the temperature exceeds 65 degrees C and that heating cookers 15 seconds or longer reduced viable HIV-1 below detectable levels.

...........

*I know this is a very long post, but I think this is valuable HR considering how often this question comes up. Obviously it's always best to use a micron filter, but if someone doesn't have one and is unwilling to not inject, then it's better they use the best make-shift filter possible as opposed to not filtering at all.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

A brief amount of heat to a shot is not going to kill bacteria.

You should get a micron filter, or find an ampule which is intended for injection drug use.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

A brief amount of heat to a shot is not going to kill bacteria.

You should get a micron filter, or find an ampule which is intended for injection drug use.

As I said, it will not kill 100% of bacteria, but every source I've read says it should kill some bacteria. Do you know of any reliable sources on the subject?

Also, as I said several times, obviously a micron filter is the best option, but what if they don't? And what if they are not injecting am ampoule meant for IV?

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Also, as I said several times, obviously a micron filter is the best option, but what if they don't? And what if they are not injecting am ampoule meant for IV?

Then it's like having unprotected sex. You might come out of it unscathed, you might not.

Some Bluelighters have reported adding in isopropanol, which kills bacteria, but this is inherently damaging to the human body, and it's going to be corrosive to the vein and sting considerably.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I also noticed that the Bluelight Wiki itself recommends heating heroin to "help it dissolve". It says that cooking the solution would not be long enough to kill all the bacteria, which is true, but it seems inaccurate to say heroin should be heated to "help it dissolve", since heroin itself is water-soluble and heat will just dissolve the cuts. Is anyone here involved with editing/updating the Wiki? I don't know much about it.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Then it's like having unprotected sex. You might come out of it unscathed, you might not.

I think a better analogy would be to say not using drugs at all is like abstaining from sex entirely, using drugs filtered with a micron filter is like using a condom and the birth control pill, and not filtering them at all is like having unprotected sex. There are still ways to reduce the likelihood of harm if you are going to have sex but don't have both a condom and a birth control pill.

 

[muvolution]

The sterifilt would obviously be your best option.

My needle exchange gives out little cotton balls. I would never use these, but they are sterile, which makes them better than a cig filter.

From personal experience with filtering... things, I would recommend a 1/2" of sterile cotton packed tightly into a syringe, then backloading the solution and pushing through. I reckon this would filter better than either above method, and would be very unlikely to transfer material from the filter to the solution.

As to the wiki... it doesn't see near the traffic currently as OD, so we put the shiny new guide to heroin in here, not in the wiki, but it will be copied over soon.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

The sterifilt would obviously be your best option.

My needle exchange gives out little cotton balls. I would never use these, but they are sterile, which makes them better than a cig filter.

From personal experience with filtering... things, I would recommend a 1/2" of sterile cotton packed tightly into a syringe, then backloading the solution and pushing through. I reckon this would filter better than either above method, and would be very unlikely to transfer material from the filter to the solution.

Yeah, I've seen the same little cotton balls at needle exchanges, those are better than using a regular cotton ball or Q-tip.

It would be really nice to have a "Filter Hierarchy" thread, like I think there is a "Water Hierarchy" thread (for some reason I couldn't find it in a search). It would also be great to find some factual info on the efficacy of heating dope to kill some or most of the bacteria and develop clear guidelines on whether or not heating is worth it. Personally my own opinion is that if you rule out the effect of the heat dissolving the cuts by doing a cold filter before or after, then surely heating the solution is a good idea.

As to the wiki... it doesn't see near the traffic currently as OD, so we put the shiny new guide to heroin in here, not in the wiki, but it will be copied over soon.

Ok thanks, that's good

 

[phatass]

there are wheel filters which are even better than micron filters.;; but i guesss you don't have access to that either atm... i allways useed to use a piee of cotton fro a q-tip i found it worked best, cigarette filters i think are really dodgy for filtering wth, they let way too much through... go with q-tip cotton imo

 

[Swimmingdancer]

there are wheel filters which are even better than micron filters.;; but i guesss you don't have access to that either atm... i allways useed to use a piee of cotton fro a q-tip i found it worked best, cigarette filters i think are really dodgy for filtering wth, they let way too much through... go with q-tip cotton imo

Isn't a wheel filter just a micron filter with a wheel-like shape?

Did you thoroughly read my post? I am looking more for facts about the efficacy of different filters as opposed to just subjective opinions without any explanation to back them up. Why do you think cigarette filters are more porous than cottons? Everything I have witnessed, heard and read would suggest otherwise.

 

[phatass]

^^ yeh sorry by wheel filter i mean micron filter, i thought a micron filter was a sterifilt... my bad...

and why i preffer q-tip cottons to cigarette filters, from personal eperience, when i used to use q-tips, the solution would be way more clear, less cloudy than when i used cigarette filters.... but i have no proof apart from that simple observation

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

I've been using a simple piece of tightly balled cotton for my entire using career... and everyone I know has used the same thing. In a pinch, if nobody has a q tip on them, somebody will rip out his/her cigarette filter and we'd use pieces of that to filter. They give out bags of sterile little balls of cotton at the exchange too.. which are not cigarette filters by the way. I'm sure they have a reason for that, and I think it's the fact that cigarette filters break up a lot easier than a piece of cotton, sterile dental cotton clearly being the strongest, and q tip the next best thing. Either way, all of this micron filter shit is cool.. and more power to the people who use them, but.. it just isn't very pracitcal for every day using and the majority of people will never pick one up.

 

[phatass]

slightly off topic but if i don't use a icrion filter or a sterifilt, when shooting morphine, i can only use the vein once... a couple after several months have become useable again, but now i NEVER shoot without a micron or steri

 

[Dca0518]

I alwAys used a clean cig filter and I used for 4 years and nevr had a problem and the heat is to disolve the powder if it's chunk not to kill bacteria it's a fact things dialogs better in warm liquids

 

[Dca0518]

Oh and btw if your shooting heroin I wouldn't be worried about the germies I'd be more worried about the cut they use in it cus not al cut is filtered out

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ you are giving HORRIBLE advice.

What you are dissolving with the heat are the inactives that you DON'T want in your veins. If you need to heat them to dissolve them, what do you think they will do when they cool back down IN YOUR VEINS?

Just because you aren't aware of how much you fucked yourself up does not mean you haven't. If someone smoked cigarettes for 4 years and was unaware of any problems, does that mean their lungs are as pristine as a newborn baby's? If someone drinks a fifth of jack a day for 4 years and never felt any problems does that mean that their liver isn't massively scarred?

Please familiarize yourself with the purpose of this forum because what you are saying directly goes against it. This forum is to educate people on how to be as safe as they can not to share with people how you were reckless and aren't aware of the damage you did.

 

[Dca0518]

maybe it's just the asshole around where I live but they use stuff like ratpoison tO cut their dope with Which certain kinds are water soliable my advice is don't do it at all because maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow it will kill you! I held my husband in my arms while he died and it wasn't from what kind of Cotton or how much heat he used

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ the purpose of the forum isn't to tell people to get off drugs because it just doesn't work. We try to give people the most complete and accurate information so they can do what they are going to do anyway as safely as possible.

I understand that you feel you need to be telling people this but it really isn't suited for this forum. The Dark Side forum is a great place to find others who you can relate to and can provide support no matter someone is dealing with. I'm truly sorry for what you've had to go through and I hope you can live your life without being too burdened by feelings of guilt or grief.

Take care.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I alwAys used a clean cig filter and I used for 4 years and nevr had a problem and the heat is to disolve the powder if it's chunk not to kill bacteria it's a fact things dialogs better in warm liquids

As Cane2theleft said, just because you don't have any problems that you know of doesn't mean you don't have any or that others will not have problems. And heroin does not need heat to dissolve, so if there is anything not dissolving it is the cut, not the heroin.

Oh and btw if your shooting heroin I wouldn't be worried about the germies I'd be more worried about the cut they use in it cus not al cut is filtered out

That is true, there are some cuts that are soluble in room temp water, but the ones used most frequently, such as glucose, are relatively safe. The more damaging cuts tend to be the ones that aren't soluble in room temp water, as you are injecting the particles.

maybe it's just the asshole around where I live but they use stuff like ratpoison tO cut their dope with Which certain kinds are water soliable my advice is don't do it at all because maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow it will kill you! I held my husband in my arms while he died and it wasn't from what kind of Cotton or how much heat he used

What makes you think there is rat poison in the dope??

I am terribly sorry that your husband died, that must have been very traumatic for you. But no ever quits using drugs because someone says you shouldn't do drugs or drugs are dangerous. We are here to try to help people who use drugs do so as safely as possible. You said your husband died of a heroin overdose. Perhaps we can help prevent that from happening to others by providing advice about dosing - like start with a very very small dose, especially with a new batch/supply of unknown potency - recommending that no one use alone, and teaching people how to recognize and respond to ODs.

 

[Cloudy]

you can get micron filters on ebay for fucks sakes. If you can't fucking get on to ebay and order some filters, you should be IVing shit. You clearly don't care about your safety if you can come post on bluelight but can't spend less money than you would on heroin to buy a few filters