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Harm Reduction Is giving out needles to addicts really still "harm reduction" in this age of Fent and Nitazenes?

I will say needle exchanges can definitely turn in to dope seeker spots just like methadone clinics. That's really the only "negative" I see. Alot of needle exchanges offer more than needles. Test strips are basically required if you are planning on injecting opiods today and are offered by exchanges. You need to test for xylazine so you don't lose an arm. Idk if you can test for netazine. They also sometimes offer very low end medical stuff. Like they can help you get a free hiv test or hepatitis c test. They can link you up with support people. It really all comes down to the person using the needle exchange.
 
There is no test for Xylazine, and test straps are great but do they tell the strength because most users unless they are rich will not throw dope away.

Also there are unfortunately many in North America that want fentanyl as evidenced by the threads complaining about weak fentanyl.

The Siniloa( mis?) Cartel which is the most powerful has said it has stopped fentanyl importantion but there is a still a demand.
 
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TheGyattDamnRizzler said:
Idk if you can test for netazine.
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Yes, you can test for nitazenes using the strips developed by BTNX. Their distribution is limited though compared to fentanyl test strips, and the nitazene test strips are may still be being perfected from what I have read (though I read that from media reports on the subject which means nothing really considering all the bullshit the media states as fact which is nothing more than fiction about 85% of the time anymore.)

I think the use of FT-IR needs to be much more widespread than it is at present, but this would involve training people to use it of course. And, also, getting the funding for the devices themselves which is more substantial than say just some test strips. However, the more we cross over into this territory, the more necessary FT-IR becomes as the chemicals being observed on the markets are no longer following trends necessarily. I will not go into great detail, but other opioid receptor agonists have been identified on the market already which neither the fentanyl nor the nitazene strips will pick up which can result in overdoses very easily. These can be treated similarly enough, but it would be nice to be able to tell users, "Hey, you have x, y, or z in your drugs. Here is some more information before you proceed." You know what I mean?
 
TheGyattDamnRizzler said:
I will say needle exchanges can definitely turn in to dope seeker spots just like methadone clinics. That's really the only "negative" I see. Alot of needle exchanges offer more than needles. Test strips are basically required if you are planning on injecting opiods today and are offered by exchanges. You need to test for xylazine so you don't lose an arm. Idk if you can test for netazine. They also sometimes offer very low end medical stuff. Like they can help you get a free hiv test or hepatitis c test. They can link you up with support people. It really all comes down to the person using the needle exchange.
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This might be another interesting/important point of difference between the UK and US. Over here, most normal high street pharmacists will exchange needles and basically all of them can be used for collecting methadone. This has the effect that such services are not standalone locations serving only problematic drug users, but a normal part of our health care provision, with old women queueing up to pick up their prescriptions alongside the occasional addict who is there to collect their script

Edit: and probably worth adding that the idea of ever having to pay for a HIV or hepatitis test sounds insane to people this side of the pond. God bless our socialised health care!
 
moshforjesus said:
This might be another interesting/important point of difference between the UK and US. Over here, most normal high street pharmacists will exchange needles and basically all of them can be used for collecting methadone. This has the effect that such services are not standalone locations serving only problematic drug users, but a normal part of our health care provision, with old women queueing up to pick up their prescriptions alongside the occasional addict who is there to collect their script

Edit: and probably worth adding that the idea of ever having to pay for a HIV or hepatitis test sounds insane to people this side of the pond. God bless our socialised health care!
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It must be wild to live in Europe. We run away from ambulances here in America so we don't have to pay for it lol.
 
My bad, not long ago people complained about no test strips for xylazine. Also what are nitrazenes?

One question, how do homeless people with no credit cards order them?
My opiods are prescribed and legally used so I am unaware of certain aspects about nitrazenes, and Xylazine also I am in America and we have worse issue, fentanyl and the fact that once people use it, many seek it. Also traq dope( aka xylazine is sought out by some).
 
TheGyattDamnRizzler said:
It must be wild to live in Europe. We run away from ambulances here in America so we don't have to pay for it lol.
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There's some fascinating videos in which British people are asked how much basic medical services cost in the US (I.e. calling an ambulance). It's hard for us to get our heads round the fact that you lot have to pay for such things out of your own pocket!
 
moshforjesus said:
There's some fascinating videos in which British people are asked how much basic medical services cost in the US (I.e. calling an ambulance). It's hard for us to get our heads round the fact that you lot have to pay for such things out of your own pocket!
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In the UK you get to die of easily preventable cancer for free, or you get to wait multiple years for sorely needed medical procedures for gratis, it really isn't much better. Ideally everyone has health insurance so you never actually pay for the medical services, but the insurance companies can be very strict with what claims they accept, and the medical companies charge insane prices so they can bilk the insurers

Both systems are pretty bad, most countries in Europe have far better standards than the UK without the insane USA insurance system and prices
 
moshforjesus said:
There's some fascinating videos in which British people are asked how much basic medical services cost in the US (I.e. calling an ambulance). It's hard for us to get our heads round the fact that you lot have to pay for such things out of your own pocket!
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True, but it really depends on your insurance plan. It's the variation that's so wacky. Plus they may present someone with a big bill but they may give up if you don't have the money to pay.
 
GulpingBatteryLiquid said:
In the UK you get to die of easily preventable cancer for free, or you get to wait multiple years for sorely needed medical procedures for gratis, it really isn't much better. Ideally everyone has health insurance so you never actually pay for the medical services, but the insurance companies can be very strict with what claims they accept, and the medical companies charge insane prices so they can bilk the insurers

Both systems are pretty bad, most countries in Europe have far better standards than the UK without the insane USA insurance system and prices
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Not disputing any of that - I think we need to have a serious discussion about the funding and delivery of our health care soon and ideally we'd bring it somewhere more in line with something like the German system.

That said, two of my direct relatives (my sister and mother) have both had cancer in the past 5 years, in each case it was picked up early and both have had the all clear. In the same period, my dad had a stroke and the care he received was second to none. The NHS has its faults, but it's definitely preferable to being uninsured in the American system
 
Jnowhere said:
One question, how do homeless people with no credit cards order them?
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They can’t. Another reason needle exchanges are so important they’re the perfect place to hand out test strips. I believe reagents can also be used to detect xylazine which would potentially be perfect for cheap on the spot testing. I don’t know if many exchanges offer on the spot testing but they should.
 
moshforjesus said:
This might be another interesting/important point of difference between the UK and US. Over here, most normal high street pharmacists will exchange needles and basically all of them can be used for collecting methadone. This has the effect that such services are not standalone locations serving only problematic drug users, but a normal part of our health care provision, with old women queueing up to pick up their prescriptions alongside the occasional addict who is there to collect their script

Edit: and probably worth adding that the idea of ever having to pay for a HIV or hepatitis test sounds insane to people this side of the pond. God bless our socialised health care!
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You pay for it with high taxes and lousy service. God ain't blessing a screwed up system, my countries either.
What I find amusing is that you can't get
psyiatric help easily. Also, people complain and then defend a system that
Screws you for life if you ever had an addiction problem and that unlike America ( which until recent decades, had a great healthcare system and then the politicians got involved and cost multiplied and is now screwed up thanks to to government and all the ambulance chasers). We have privacy laws that are actually respected.

But at least, when I was broke, I got better Healthcare through Medicaid, than most people in the UK. I also got benzos and opiods free that you can't easily get, over there and
Too, many people here don't have a clue about how to use the system.

HIV testing is free, but too many morons don't use the systems in place. There is free testing all over. But people here are lazy and Europeans believe what they are told, about America to cover up for the issues with your system.

Queuing up, like the lines for toilet paper or bread in Russia.

HIV testing is free just look for it, but America is getting dumber. Also people don't seemed concerned about HIV, which is stupid and sad.

Also, getting clean needles is an issue, oh yeah and you have to use citric acid
Too shoot unrefined dope. Increasingly dangerous dope. Then again real heroin is almost extinct here. Fentanyl has also made heroin weak to regular fentanyl users

Drug addiction help is also a problem in the UK. No needle exchanges? No pain killers outside a hospital for anyone who ever had any drug issues?
 
Jnowhere said:
You pay for it with high taxes and lousy service. God ain't blessing a screwed up system, my countries either.
What I find amusing is that you can't get
psyiatric help easily. Also, people complain and then defend a system that
Screws you for life if you ever had an addiction problem and that unlike America ( which until recent decades, had a great healthcare system and then the politicians got involved and cost multiplied and is now screwed up thanks to to government and all the ambulance chasers). We have privacy laws that are actually respected.
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I think you have a few misconceptions here:

In contrast to the US system, the UK tax structure for individuals is characterized by fewer brackets. Key differences include:

  1. Individuals in the UK have a tax-free personal allowance, which does not exist in the US federal tax system.
  2. The basic rate of tax in the UK is 20%, which applies to income above the personal allowance and up to a higher threshold.
  3. The UK has a higher rate of tax of 40% and an additional rate of tax of 45% for the highest earners.
While both the UK and US tax systems are progressive, the UK system has fewer brackets and a higher starting rate after the personal allowance.

However, the US system has a wider range of brackets, potentially resulting in a higher tax rate at higher income levels.
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So, in the UK we can earn more money before we start paying tax, while higher income earners in the US likely pay more than the UK. The main difference is that we actually get provided with a few services for the tax that we pay :ROFLMAO:

Since 2017 we also have the GDPR data protection legislation, which is amongst the most robust in the world
 
moshforjesus said:
Not disputing any of that - I think we need to have a serious discussion about the funding and delivery of our health care soon and ideally we'd bring it somewhere more in line with something like the German system.

That said, two of my direct relatives (my sister and mother) have both had cancer in the past 5 years, in each case it was picked up early and both have had the all clear. In the same period, my dad had a stroke and the care he received was second to none. The NHS has its faults, but it's definitely preferable to being uninsured in the American system
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No it isn't I got great care on Medicaid when I was poor. People need to realize we still have a good system, but once the government got too involved, not talking about Medicaid and Medicare, but look if you get our news, we had a huge problem with the government run Veterans Administration Hospitals.

Second to none, nope. We have too much Healthcare because of all the lawsuits and bureaucracy that has eroded our system but, I have heard too many horror stories about the NHS.

As America tries imitating Europe, the more the system sucks. Not too mention the fact that lawyers are to blame for a lot of Americans Healthcare issues.

I used to watch C-span and I love Prime Ministers questions, especially John Majors, back in the early 90's, no idea of him as a P.M. but he was witty.
So much is about was always about Healthcare and shortages and this continued under Tony Blair. Maybe the people who can afford private health insurance can get good service, but I ain't believing after all I have heard about the NHS.
 
Jnowhere said:
I used to watch C-span and I love Prime Ministers questions, especially John Majors, back in the early 90's, no idea of him as a P.M. but he was witty.
So much is about was always about Healthcare and shortages and this continued under Tony Blair. Maybe the people who can afford private health insurance can get good service, but I ain't believing after all I have heard about the NHS.
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John Major is pretty much universally acknowledged has having been a shit PM, and for all his other faults, the NHS was incredibly efficient under Blair
 
moshforjesus said:
John Major is pretty much universally acknowledged has having been a shit PM, and for all his other faults, the NHS was incredibly efficient under Blair
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It could be argued that Blair massively increasing the population for no real reason was one of the many causes of later NHS inefficiency
 
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