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Harm Reduction Needle Exchange Locations

justinw

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 25, 2005
Messages
318
I hope this doesn't constitute asking for sources, if so I apologize. I have searched online for one endlessly with no luck. Basically I'm wondering if there is a needle exchange in or around Ft. Lauderdale. I'm new to the area and in my experience it seems to depend on the person working on a given day at stores as to whether or not they'll sell them to you. Hopefully I'll be in luck. If not, i'd love to know the reason as to why they don't exist since they do nothing but good.

TIA

This thread is meant for people to share SEP locations everywhere, and not necessarily to discuss any one SEP. The OP requested information about his specific area above, however I am utilizing this thread to satisfy any SEP location inquiries in the future.

Please post a brief synapse on your SEP, their location, telephone number, address, maximum number of syringes allowed for one to exchange, how the process works, and how the program works (registering with the police department, anonymous identification, etc). Any other antecdotal evidence, such as the gauges they normally have, the gauges that you usually get from them, the professionalism of the staff, etc.

This will help many of us seeking harm reduction in the future. Thank you for your cooperation and stories, they are much appreciated. If one person is able to use a clean needle as a result of this thread and avoid acquiring an STD, then this will all be worth it.

-C.H.
 
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I've also looked around, and I haven't found anything at all. These things are easy to get online, though. In the suburban south small towns are so very far apart and even the metro areas aren't as dense as in other parts of the US, so to construct a program that would service a significant amount of the population would be really difficult requiring dozens of outposts.

That's the only thing that makes sense to me.
 
dont know much about exchange programs but my bro who shoots blues like every damn day just gets his needles from retail pharmacies or pharmacis inside retail stores (and yeah i hope this is not sourcing?)
 
We really need a thread that lists Needle Exchanges, so I'm going to turn this thread into the "Needle Exchange Locations" thread. I went ahead and edited your title, so others can use your thread instead of creating their own.

I don't know if this belongs in OD or another forum, but I think it should go here, because we've seen many threads about this.

In my opinion, it is a shame that there are not more SEP's.


dont know much about exchange programs but my bro who shoots blues like every damn day just gets his needles from retail pharmacies or pharmacis inside retail stores (and yeah i hope this is not sourcing?)

No, everyone knows you can get needles at pharmacies. It would be silly to call that 'sourcing' ;)
 
Just click on your state and it will tell you all available SEP's (None in Ft. Lauderdale sry):

http://www.harmreduction.org/userdata_display?sortby=&modin=50&state=WA&search=Search

Edit: I just found out that the city where i go to school in (Spokane, WA) has a needle exchange and i might start using it when i go back to school but i have some anxiety about going there for the first time.

I'm 21 and look like i'm 18 and don't do drugs at all.

Can anyone give me any insight about how they are in your area (i.e. are they condescending? are they normally really full of junkies? how often can you go? etc.)

i really appreciate it.
 
Just click on your state and it will tell you all available SEP's (None in Ft. Lauderdale sry):

http://www.harmreduction.org/userdata_display?sortby=&modin=50&state=WA&search=Search

Edit: I just found out that the city where i go to school in (Spokane, WA) has a needle exchange and i might start using it when i go back to school but i have some anxiety about going there for the first time.

I'm 21 and look like i'm 18 and don't do drugs at all.

Can anyone give me any insight about how they are in your area (i.e. are they condescending? are they normally really full of junkies? how often can you go? etc.)

i really appreciate it.

ive noticed the majority of the exchanges ive been to have all been run by addicts in recovery... they have all been really nice... non judgemental... hell... one of um even told me a couple stories about when he use to shoot dope... i have never really run into any other users there... its generally in and out for me...

dont trip bro... its much better then buying rigs... and hell... they will give u up to 200 rigs...

Edit: i have shown up the next day before... some places are different then others... when i hit up exchanges in socal they counted how many i brought back... tried to keep like... a running percent of how many i brought back... and would only give out double the amount of rigs you brought in... in berkeley they will give you as many as you ask for... even if you dont bring them any rigs to exchange..
 
This is a small issue but when I opened this thread I read the first few threads and thought this was just going to be about that particular location. I was wondering if Captain.Heroin or another mod could put a note at the beginning of the first thread explaining this is a thread for needle exchanges anywhere. I can see people opening this up, reading the first thread and moving on potentially losing the benefit this thread will hopefully produce when expanded. Also this is a *great* idea. I'm surprised given the nature of this forum that we don't already have resources for locating needle exchanges. Mods if you think this is unnecessary disregard this request. Thanks
 
This is a small issue but when I opened this thread I read the first few threads and thought this was just going to be about that particular location. I was wondering if Captain.Heroin or another mod could put a note at the beginning of the first thread explaining this is a thread for needle exchanges anywhere. I can see people opening this up, reading the first thread and moving on potentially losing the benefit this thread will hopefully produce when expanded. Also this is a *great* idea. I'm surprised given the nature of this forum that we don't already have resources for locating needle exchanges. Mods if you think this is unnecessary disregard this request. Thanks

Will do. Thank you for the notice.
 
This thread is meant for people to share SEP locations everywhere, and not necessarily to discuss any one SEP. The OP requested information about his specific area above, however I am utilizing this thread to satisfy any SEP location inquiries in the future.

Please post a brief synapse on your SEP, their location, telephone number, address, maximum number of syringes allowed for one to exchange, how the process works, and how the program works (registering with the police department, anonymous identification, etc). Any other antecdotal evidence, such as the gauges they normally have, the gauges that you usually get from them, the professionalism of the staff, etc.

This will help many of us seeking harm reduction in the future. Thank you for your cooperation and stories, they are much appreciated. If one person is able to use a clean needle as a result of this thread and avoid acquiring an STD, then this will all be worth it.

-C.H.

Well, I think I can give my story.

I have only recently started going to an SEP, but here it goes.

Prevention Works!

Contact info:
Address: 2501 Benning Road, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Tel: 202.588.5580
Toll-free: 866.446.1896
Fax: 202.388.3593

Services:

PreventionWorks' Syringe Exchange Program is a tool for engagement. We take the message of harm reduction and the services we provide to the communities where drug users live. PreventionWorks exchanges syringes to registered participants and provides those participants with the tools necessary to implement harm reduction techniques in their daily lives. PreventionWorks also provides harm reduction tools, education and outreach to non-participating (non-injecting and/or non-drug using) members of the community.
* Needle exchange and distribution of other harm reduction tools
* Condom distribution and safe-sex information/education
* Drug Treatment referrals, information
* Harm Reduction education/training/outreach
* Overdose Prevention
* Support groups
* HIV testing/counseling/prevention education
* HEP C referrals for testing/ prevention education/ support group

Whenever I have gone (only three times now), the staff are really friendly and nice. They use an anonymous system of identification - they ask for your first name, your mother's first name, and your birthdate. When you first go to the exchange, they will give you a Needle Exchange Program card, which they explained was your "get out of jail free card" in case police find out you have needles. If you have drug paraphanilia or used needles, you're still going to jail (which is weird - how are used needles illegal if that's the whole point of a syringe exchange?) then again - this is what the workers told me, this may not be true. Either way, I believe in DC you need a prescription for needles whereas in VA you only have to be 18 years of age. Either way, when you get the NEP card, they use the first and last initial of your first and last name, and then the last four digits of your SSN#. A word of warning - the NEP card will only help you out in DC. Outside of DC, it depends on state law, but other states do not recognize another state/locality's NEP card.

The maximum syringe count they will dull out to one person at once is 300, and they give out 1 for 1, so if you show up with 50, they'll give you 50. I do believe if you don't have any at first, they will give you 15 to get started with.

The typical gauges they have are (super fucking huge - low 20's - I don't know how low I would never need to know) all the way up to a 28G. They don't normally carry anything above a 28G, however I have gotten 30G and 29G off of them before. I have asked them to stock smaller gauges to no avail. Apparently they have a mobile unit which has smaller gauged needles, but not the actual location.

The staff are really friendly and nice, they are not judgmental at all. Even though the one lady we talked to admitted she wasn't an IDU, she seemed like she certainly had used something in her day, and she seemed pretty interested in everything and even said she "learns from you all (meaning IDU's that come in)", which I thought was funny.

Overall, I really like going here. The only inconvenience is that I prefer 30G, 31G if available, and I am currently deciding whether or not I'm going to buy another box of 31G's, or just make the drive up to DC again for some 28G's, hopefully. The only other thing I don't like is they never have a whole lot of the 28G's, so I have over 400 of the 27G, 1cc, 1/2" sitting around. I only occasionally use them for measuring.

This is the only SEP for the VA/DC/MD area, and probably beyond that too.
 
I do believe if you don't have any at first, they will give you 15 to get started with.

So can i come in with my own used syringes for my first visit?

And what other items do they have? (i.e. sterile water etc)
 
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So can i come in with my own used syringes for my first visit?

And what other items do they have? (i.e. sterile water etc)

I did, but the idea is it might be smart to go to the exchange without used needles first, so that you can get your card. This is because if you're caught carrying needles (even if they're new) in DC without the card, I do believe you will go to jail.

You still can though, no one's gonna be like "oh, you can't do that". I showed up with 600 used rigs my first time.

They have a lot of other items:

condoms
lubrication
tourniquets
sterile water (in the form of 5mL per tube)
cottons (nifty bits of cotton with a hole for the needle, preformed and sterile)
band aids (one basic kind, but they also have a plastic bag pack w/ different kinds of band aids and gauze, etc)
rubbing alcohol wipes
paper about injecting, skin care, etc
triple antibiotic ointment
cookers (metal cups for preparing a shot in - I don't use these though they are kinda small)

I'm sure they have more stuff than I listed here, I typically get the lubrication (the first time I went - I brought my fiance - the lady working there was like "I'm gonna give you some extras" and threw a whole bunch of lube and condoms together for us =D), sterile water, cottons, band aids, rubbing alcohol wipes, and triple antibiotic ointment.

I don't use tourniquets, and I don't use their cookers. But they have both if you do.

They have a sweet little pack with one of everything in it in a zip loc bag, including gauze and differnet kind of band aids. I'd definitely get one of those if you're on the road/out and about and want to prep a sterile shot. Very convenient bag.
 
Just click on your state and it will tell you all available SEP's (None in Ft. Lauderdale sry):

http://www.harmreduction.org/userdata_display?sortby=&modin=50&state=WA&search=Search

Damn only one in the entire state of TN.

In case anyone in other parts of TN are looking for needles and are wondering what the experience was like at a pharmacy, I'll post my experience:

In the Tri-cities area of NE TN (where I no longer live), I went to a total of 5 different pharmacies before I found one that would sell me needles. I started by going to chains, and was universally told that they wouldn't sell needles unless I had a prescription for insulin or another injectable drug (though they did say that even if I showed them the bottle that would be sufficient). That isn't law, that was just their policy.

After that I decided to try my luck at mom & pop places and got lucky on the first try. I wasn't even smart enough at the time to ask for a specific brand/guage/volume, but the guy (a pharmacist) just said "will 1/2", 1cc 28g work?" To which I swiftly agreed, anxious to get anything at all. He looked at me with a bit of pity, but I didn't really care.

My advice in TN (and I guess anywhere) if you don't have the luxury of a needle exchange is not to try and cook up some BS story for the pharmacist... "My grandpa forgot his syringes," has been used too many times by too many people... Don't insult their intelligence, just ask for what you need by name and if they refuse, move on.
 
I did, but the idea is it might be smart to go to the exchange without used needles first, so that you can get your card. This is because if you're caught carrying needles (even if they're new) in DC without the card, I do believe you will go to jail.

You still can though, no one's gonna be like "oh, you can't do that". I showed up with 600 used rigs my first time.

They have a lot of other items:

condoms
lubrication
tourniquets
sterile water (in the form of 5mL per tube)
cottons (nifty bits of cotton with a hole for the needle, preformed and sterile)
band aids (one basic kind, but they also have a plastic bag pack w/ different kinds of band aids and gauze, etc)
rubbing alcohol wipes
paper about injecting, skin care, etc
triple antibiotic ointment
cookers (metal cups for preparing a shot in - I don't use these though they are kinda small)

I'm sure they have more stuff than I listed here, I typically get the lubrication (the first time I went - I brought my fiance - the lady working there was like "I'm gonna give you some extras" and threw a whole bunch of lube and condoms together for us =D), sterile water, cottons, band aids, rubbing alcohol wipes, and triple antibiotic ointment.

I don't use tourniquets, and I don't use their cookers. But they have both if you do.

They have a sweet little pack with one of everything in it in a zip loc bag, including gauze and differnet kind of band aids. I'd definitely get one of those if you're on the road/out and about and want to prep a sterile shot. Very convenient bag.

Thanks for the info on this CH, i really appreciate it.

I hope i can get up the balls to go to the one in Spokane, i'm kind of a pussy when going to places like this for the first time.

It's the same reason i didn't get on methadone and got on sub, although i'm really glad i didn't.
 
hey dopiate, I live in spokane WA too, and the exchange here is really nice. The people that work there are very nice and never judge you. I have been going there for over 6 months now and never had a feeling like they were judging me.
 
hey justinw, the state of florida doesn't allow SEPs. yeah, I know, it's a stupid and ridiculously ignorant policy.
however, state law does not require an Rx to buy syringes. to avoid the hassle you might get in person in the wpb/ftl/mia area, just order them online from one of the chain pharmacies, like cvs or walgreens.
good luck.
-izzy
 
hey dopiate, I live in spokane WA too, and the exchange here is really nice. The people that work there are very nice and never judge you. I have been going there for over 6 months now and never had a feeling like they were judging me.

Awesome, could you give me a little more info?

What kind of gauge/brand syringes do they have available?

Do they offer about the same stuff as Captain Heroin posted? Thanks in advance.
 
Yeah, they offer all that CH said. You can get just about any type of needle there. They even have steroid needles. The lady that runs it there is very nice. They even give you cookies or cake or some type of sweets before you leave that they bake at home. Very good people just looking to keep Spokane safe. If you don't mind me asking, what is it that your using, that is one question they will ask. They ask it to get some sort of idea how much each different drug is being used. U can be completely anonymous they could care less who you are, they just want to know what you do and that your being safe while doing it..
 
Yeah, they offer all that CH said. You can get just about any type of needle there. They even have steroid needles. The lady that runs it there is very nice. They even give you cookies or cake or some type of sweets before you leave that they bake at home. Very good people just looking to keep Spokane safe. If you don't mind me asking, what is it that your using, that is one question they will ask. They ask it to get some sort of idea how much each different drug is being used. U can be completely anonymous they could care less who you are, they just want to know what you do and that your being safe while doing it..

I IV 2mg of subutex over the course of the day. I am as safe as i possibly could be, i believe. I use micron filters, sterilize everything, fresh rigs, etc etc. I just want to stop paying for my supplies, doing it right is expensive.
 
do u have a e-mail address or anything, or say msn IM? so I could talk to you directly...
 
do u have a e-mail address or anything, or say msn IM? so I could talk to you directly...

I've sent you a private message with my email address in it. If it doesn't pop up, click on Private Messages on the upper right of screen.
 
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