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first time shooter, questions about buying needles at pharmacies in ny

nyuser12432

Greenlighter
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
2
i have never bought a syringe before and just have a few simple questions that i hope a few of you new yorkers can handle. i dont live by any needle exchanges so the easiest way is to purchase them from any of the 20 pharmacies nearby. i was just curious about what quantities you can buy? do you have to buy the 20-60 packs as shown on several popular pharmacy websites or can you buy a single syringe if you wanted to? also i'm slightly familiar with the gauges, but not with brands etc so what exactly do you do? just go to the back pharmacy and ask them for (insert popular brand name here) and then the gauge, which from what i've heard should be a 28 gauge needle. in a nutshell, just give me an idea of what to say including a popular brand and gauge because the whole thing just feels awkward for me to do and i don't want to walk in there and be like "hey i want some needles so i can shoot some dope, what do you recommend?!" sorry if this is a foolish question, i just am not certain if they'll ask any questions about it or if they aren't allowed to b y law etc. thanks for your time all, hope you can give me some answers bluelight heh
 
they are usually sold in 10-packs. i used to ask for a pack of "BD 1cc 28g x 1/2" tip insulin syringe". 30 gauge if you want will be a little thinner/more comfortable. i would always write it on a piece of paper and hand it to them just to make it easier.

sometimes theyll ask you about diabetes and hassle you, so just go to the next one if they dont wanna sell you anything.

(dont know how much of this is allowed, but clean needles has got to be harm reduction, right?)

if you are going to IV, be sure to read this whole guide before you even buy the rigs.
 
yes i've read numerous guides and know all about safety and proper techniques and all that, i've seen plenty of people shoot up in front of me and explain it as they go too just for extra reassurance to, i'm good to go on that front. i was just unsure as to how to go about it to produce the least amount of questions.

its legal to buy syringes otc in ny in any pharmacy, so i don't see how it wouldn't be allowed as it is harm reduction considering the alternative of buying some off a sketchy dope dealer.

thanks for your help!
 
some pharmacists just dont like selling to people without a script. regardless of the legality (its legal in my home state too) you will sometimes be turned away. i guess they dont want to "perpetuate" IV drug abuse. some of them think by refusing to sell a ten pack of rigs they will get some addict to quit heroin.8) it doesnt hurt to go in clean cut and well dressed.
 
This was posted by rave23 in another thread recently about buying needles. Timeless advice =D:

i get my needles from Shoppers or London drugs.
If they ask me what they are for, i say for injection purpose.
They usually give me a look and are like "For Drugs?" (Damn right for drugs, what else do you inject?)
then i'm like "FUCK YOU, I HAVE FUCKING DIABETES" (it's important that you say that really loud, and act upset) and show them my faked diabetis pass (you can make one yourself sooooo easy )
Then they are so embarased that they just give them to me without any further question. Haha i am a little mofo...
Then i usually talk to the manager, complain about being hasseld as a drug user, get a 25$ gift card, and leave the store with a fat grin on my face. And all that while being sky high on some smack...

If i don't use my fake pass, i usually start a moral discussion, if they'd rather have me tear my veins appart with used needles, and that usually works if i demand to see a manager. Just be polite in these situations, and you will get needles 9 out of 10 times. ("You know, next time i shoot i can be *wait a second, look sad, put on puppy eyes* dead... then i'm gonna be thinking about my angle of doom, *you*, cause you can't even get me a clean needle. I didn't choose this, ya know?How can you be so damn iresponsible *fake cry*..."; worked 8 out of 10 times, the other 2 times i got kicked out)

That is in canada though.
 
Don't know if its been stated yet, but I recommend trying the "mom and pop" pharmacies, if there are any in your town/county. I'm in California and the small ones (IE not walgreens, CVS, longs, riteaid) are always best for buying rigs.
 
^ i have actually had the opposite experience. the mom and pop shops always seem so protective of their image/reputation that none i have ever been to have even been close to providing rigs without a script.

OP: it doesnt really matter where you go, if they are legal in NY you will most likely get them within your first pharmacy or two that you try so it doesnt make much of a difference.

i have used two approaches; one: just waltz in and act like you have done this a million times. have everything you need memorized and have a story ready. or two: write the info on a slip of paper and act confused, like "do you guys carry these?" like you dont know anything about whats on the paper. tell them its for your sick uncle who is from out of town.

i use the latter most often when i am not near an exchange.. it has worked about 75% of the time for me.

btw, and this is really important, i read that you have done research already, but i really really recommend that you read the link i posted earlier in the thread. even if you think you know everything, it is really important that you learn as much as you can and know EVERYTHING there is to know before you even buy the rigs. (ie, where to shoot, how to shoot, veins vs. artery, staying clean/sterile, vein health, etc etc) there is a lot more to learn than just the straight up technique of shoving a needle in your arm.. a trained monkey could do that much. i dont know how much you know, but you can always learn more so check it out even if you just skim it and see if there is anything you missed in your previous research.

here it is again; Getting Off Right (pdf)
 
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Touche. Thats just my own experience. Not really mom and pop, with a little old lady behind the counter, but just a non-chain pharmacy.

chinacat311 said:
i have used two approaches; one: just waltz in and act like you have done this a million times. have everything you need memorized and have a story ready. or two: write the info on a slip of paper and act confused, like "do you guys carry these?" like you dont know anything about whats on the paper. tell them its for your sick uncle who is from out of town.

Yes those are pretty much your only two options. Unless you just don't give a fuck and go in there and yell "I NEED RIGS!" but I don't think that gets you what you need...

I go for the first approach. Make sure you look nice, clean, and non-junkie-like. That should be obvious though. I used to sometimes put my hair in a nerdy ass way and wear a funky jacket, just something I could do to NOT seem like I slam heroin. If you have the confidence I recommend option 1 over option 2, although I've made them both work several times. The first one feels better once you've accomplished it, and also you can repeat it easily with the same pharmacist, once they think you have a legit need for them. With the second, that might be awkward when you go there a few weeks later and your uncle from out of town needs syringes again. I think I'm overthinking this though, its all good.
 
i just usually go with number two, because with number one, you kind of have to act like you are diabetic, and im always worried they would ask me some shit about my blood sugar or something to test me and i wouldnt know what to say. its ridiculous im sure but i just felt safer acting clueless... saying the rigs were for someone else.
 
Oh, another tip. Tear off the top flap from a box of insulin (find it somewhere).
It will say the brand name: novalog, humalin, whatever.
This works well with #2, say your uncle gave it to you, when you go to buy him syringes.
Now that I think about it, have him write what he needs "28g 1/2inch tip 1cc" or whatever ON the flap from the insulin box. BOOM! Guaranteed sale right there, I promise.
 
if they're legal then skip the story bullshit and go from pharm to pharm until someone sells you. better to not say anything and scowl than try bullshitting and get caught in the middle of your lie

and yeah go for the BD insulin ones, they're nice n small
 
i dunno man they are legal in my state but i still got hassled at some pharmacies. sometimes if i just stuck to my story i would get the rigs after answering a question or two about my "uncle". it was worth it to avoid the trip to another pharmacy.
 
You MUST have a prescription to buy needles in NY, NJ, and PA. Some people have had luck buying them online without and rx.
 
where else would it be reliable to buy syringes online, for MY diabetes??!
 
Always know exactly what you want - what gauge, what CC, what length needle, and how many you want (10 packs usually, but you can ask for singles or the 100 pack).

If they ask what for, say insulin. If they ask what type, say Lantus. If they ask how many units, say 20.

Have a solid government issue ID on you to, such as a drivers license. Most require that you have an ID like a license, because they write all your info down. Don't worry, they won't call home or anything like that. Don't give a fake address or anything like that either, they'll see it on your ID...

Pharmacies at grocery stores are great places to pick them up.

Some require a prescription to be shown. Just say you don't have it on you, and you use lantus and whatever.

Don't have to pick up any set amount, just get what you want.

Dress nicely.
 
I'm a New Yorker, grew up in around NYC/Long Island and yes it legal to buy rigs in NY. U shouldn't have a problem getting them as long as u spit out what gauge and cc and whatnot u want with confidence. Trust me i was freaking mad nervous asking the pharmacist and had no clue what "gauge" i wanted and what cc. She ask for gauge size and i studdered something i had no clue about. In the end she said she needed to know the "gauge size sir" so i was just like...um the smallest size gauge, cause my grandma can't take large gauges anymore.....
As long as u know what u want just say it to them and I will almost garauntee they'll sell you a ten pack...cheap too in NY for a 10 pack 28 gauge 1cc rigs......
Then just keep going back to that one
 
I'd go for 1 cc, 1/2 in tip, 29 gauge. The 1/2 tip is important, its hard to hit some deep veins with a 3/8, near impossible for me. The 1cc part is about as important, the 1/2cc ones don't hold enougth liquid and its hard to register without the plunger slipping out the back, also the 3/8 in tip ones tend to have a weird needle on them that clog easier and are known to pop out when you push down to unplug them. The 29 ga dosen't matter that much, just preference, if they offer you 28 or 30 ga cause their "out" of 29 just take them, but insist on the other perameters.

since your not in a rush or sick, (its your first time eh?), go to a diffrent store if they don't have 1cc and 1/2 tip rigs, whATEVER about the ga, 1 up or down dosen't matter too much. 29 is my prefence tho, small enougth to not gouge your arms too much and big enougth not to be pronwe to clog.

Good luck with hitting a vein your 1st time too, suggest you read and re read those how-to linked above, or even better get someone with expierence to help.. just don't give em too much dope for helpin,, lol that wAS my 1st expierences..
 
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