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Need to know the age restrictions and procedure involved with needle exchanges in UK

M

MTLATINO

Greenlighter
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
25
Location
Bristol, United Kingdom
I've been asked by a friend off mine who is 17, turning 18 next month, who has a pretty solid heroin addiction.
He's been getting his rigs from a guy he knew for a while which were sterile and of good quality but he recently lost that contact and has a new guy that i, personally do not look the like of the needles and syringes themselves as they look cheap and i think are quite a large gauge.
I've advised him to stop this nonsense of buying his needles from guys of the street with an unknown origin, especially these new ones which i can see have been causing a lot of bruising and causing him to mix shots. The best would be for him to stop all together but i cant talk him out of it. As said in drugstore cowboy, nobody, and i mean no body can talk a dope fiend outta using.

The best i can hope for is that i can get him sterile, safe equipment and to improve his procedure, so that at least i dont have to worry about him losing a a limb or something.

So what is the age restriction of needle exchanges in the UK, specifically Bristol, and what is the involved procedure?
I'm 19 personally so i would go down for him but i recently got clean(ish) and would rather not get involved in buying rigs and stuff again and dont like the idea of having rigs especially since i would have to meet him after and will ask me if i fancy a binge.

Help would be appreciated as i really care for the guy and am planning an intervention of a sorts with his close friends so i dont have to involve his parents.

Cheers bluelight,
Astrona
 
I don't know but I'll find out for you. Can't believe anyone gets asked for a birth certificate and if he's not baby faced hell have no problem anyway. I'd imagine if there were an age restriction it would be under 16. I'll make a call..
 
In Bristol, look for a chemist that has the two arrow's in a circle going in different directions, (I think it's green and yellow, maybe red) in the window. That means they are a needle exchange. You are not asked for ID, i've lost count of the amount of times i've made up initials on the forms they use to capture data.

I can tell you that in central Bristol, the town centre. Boots in Broadmead is not an exchange, but Superdrug, a few shops down is. They'll ask you if you have any returns, I usually say no, I've already taken them elsewhere, as sometimes they won't give out news without returns , but this is only dependent on the staff member. They will ask you to fill in a basic form, some do it for you, some ask you to. They will ask you for your initials, D.O.B, The age limit in the UK is 18 (It is possible to lie about this information in chemists, as they don't offer any harm reduction advice, they simply hand you the pack) have you taken any returns, and what back you were issued with. The grey pack is the one containing short oranges, (1mls) along with citric, wipes, filters and a sharps box. Bristol does not give out sterile water or demi cups. There are also smaller chemists in areas out of the cities you can go to, there's on on Stokes Croft.

You mention you are in Bristol, may I suggest that you or your friend goes to BDP (Bristol Drugs Project) to use their needle exchange. I do know that they do not like other people to go on behalf of others, because they tailor their service specifically to the person needing the support, and they are unable to notice anything that may need attention, like issues with injecting sites etc. However, so that he gets cleans, you could go as yourself for the first time. Then, maybe he could go and register, as they won't ask for ID.

They have a very very good needle exchange service there, they need to register you onto their system....they will then ask you about your drug use and then assess which needles they best think is most suitable for your use depending on the sites you are injecting in.

Harm reduction wise, I think this is the best way forward! Every time I go, they ask me about my injection sites, if everything is okay, advise me to rotate. If I'm concerned about an abscess (as I once was, they gave me advice). There is also an injection nurse available to talk to, I think she's there on a Thursday. So, if you are having trouble with sites, or struggling to find sites that will work any more, she will suggest new places without causing any further unnecessary harm. They don't force you to talk to them, if you just want to get your stuff and go, they're fine with that.

http://www.bdp.org.uk/pages/services-needleexchange

They say on the website that a person is given 5 needles a time, they say this, but they don't enforce it. I've been in daily asking for 20 each time, as long as you're returning filled boxes. For the sake of harm reduction, they'd prefer to give out cleans, than see re-use.
 
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They shouldn't ask for ID... and if your friend looks really young, then they will probably give him needles, but will ask for information to contact parents or something, they have to give out clean needles, they can't say sorry... your too young.. because using dirty needles can be very dangerous
 
Brighton called back. Usually over 18 but with prior knowledge/experience/intent will always be catered for.

I'm with Hangover. To refuse seems ridiculous.
 
cherrycolouredfunk said:
In Bristol, look for a chemist that has the two arrow's in a circle going in different directions, (I think it's green and yellow, maybe red) in the window. That means they are a needle exchange. You are not asked for ID, i've lost count of the amount of times i've made up initials on the forms they use to capture data.

I can tell you that in central Bristol, the town centre. Boots in Broadmead is not an exchange, but Superdrug, a few shops down is. They'll ask you if you have any returns, I usually say no, I've already taken them elsewhere, as sometimes they won't give out news without returns , but this is only dependent on the staff member. They will ask you to fill in a basic form, some do it for you, some ask you to. They will ask you for your initials, D.O.B, The age limit in the UK is 18 (It is possible to lie about this information in chemists, as they don't offer any harm reduction advice, they simply hand you the pack) have you taken any returns, and what back you were issued with. The grey pack is the one containing short oranges, (1mls) along with citric, wipes, filters and a sharps box. Bristol does not give out sterile water or demi cups. There are also smaller chemists in areas out of the cities you can go to, there's on on Stokes Croft.

You mention you are in Bristol, may I suggest that you or your friend goes to BDP (Bristol Drugs Project) to use their needle exchange. I do know that they do not like other people to go on behalf of others, because they tailor their service specifically to the person needing the support, and they are unable to notice anything that may need attention, like issues with injecting sites etc. However, so that he gets cleans, you could go as yourself for the first time. Then, maybe he could go and register, as they won't ask for ID.

They have a very very good needle exchange service there, they need to register you onto their system....they will then ask you about your drug use and then assess which needles they best think is most suitable for your use depending on the sites you are injecting in.

Harm reduction wise, I think this is the best way forward! Every time I go, they ask me about my injection sites, if everything is okay, advise me to rotate. If I'm concerned about an abscess (as I once was, they gave me advice). There is also an injection nurse available to talk to, I think she's there on a Thursday. So, if you are having trouble with sites, or struggling to find sites that will work any more, she will suggest new places without causing any further unnecessary harm. They don't force you to talk to them, if you just want to get your stuff and go, they're fine with that.

http://www.bdp.org.uk/pages/services-needleexchange

They say on the website that a person is given 5 needles a time, they say this, but they don't enforce it. I've been in daily asking for 20 each time, as long as you're returning filled boxes. For the sake of harm reduction, they'd prefer to give out cleans, than see re-use.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that was everything i needed. I still use cocaine IV occasionally and have just recovered from a few month opiate addiction so i may go down to BDP myself and drag his ass with me.

For now i think i'll head down to a pharmacy and switch out some of my old rigs, i think i have enough to trade in for it to last until monday for him. Do they give you back the exact amount that you bring in? And they dont make a fuss about it do they?
 
I've always been given a full pack (more than one if I ask for more) whether I bring returns or not. Never been asked for ID (obviously I'm a bit old for that anyway but none of the young users I've known have been either). You are asked to supply initials and DOB these days, as Cherry mentioned, but you don't have to be truthful about this if you don't want to and is never checked.

All HR materials can also be acquired online from many places. Is not free like it is at pharmacies though. Exchange Supplies has everything you could wish for but there are plenty other online options too.
 
MTLATINO said:
Thanks, that was everything i needed. I still use cocaine IV occasionally and have just recovered from a few month opiate addiction so i may go down to BDP myself and drag his ass with me.

For now i think i'll head down to a pharmacy and switch out some of my old rigs, i think i have enough to trade in for it to last until monday for him. Do they give you back the exact amount that you bring in? And they dont make a fuss about it do they?
Click to expand...


Glad I could help.

Yeah, please go and get some cleans. Using dirty needles just leads to trouble. I've had an abscess myself, that eventually resulted in me being put to sleep to have it removed, though I didn't get it from a dirty needle. I hate seeing people using old needles, when there's ways of getting cleans.

I had one friend who refused to go, as she didn't want to give her name, incase it affected future jobs, NAIVE!

After just one use of a needle, it's damaged, and the most damage to the vein is done pulling it out.
 
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cherrycolouredfunk said:
After just one use of a needle, it's damaged, and the most damage to the vein is done pulling it out.
Click to expand...

bevel-damage-after-use1.jpg


I'm pretty sure that I'd still have some functioning veins if I hadn't reused needles so often. Not cos I couldn't get fresh ones but just cos I was too fukkin lazy to half the time. Especially if I was having trouble getting in - and especially when shooting crack/snowballs - I'd often just use the same one repeatedly trying to get it in. Must've shredded the poor veins. Could feel how jagged the needle had become sometimes but if it meant having to trek up to the chemists when I had drugs already in the pin I had then I never did. Hindsight, eh? :\
 
When you've used the same needle dozens of times it hurts wherever you put it, Cherry :D

I really cannot believe how bad I was at HR stuff years ago. Wasn't but five minute walk to the chemists but I'd still happily use the same old needles over and over if I'd not gotten around to going. Literally could not wait the extra ten minutes round trip to get fresh sharps. Even though it just ended up taking ages to register with blunt pins anyway - not to mention being bastard sore and doing untold permanent damage to much-needed, much-missed veins. Every now and then we'd actually do it and would even say "Oh let's treat ourselves to some new pins". It really isn't a treat. It's a necessity. It is if you want to keep any functioning veins anyway :\

Also, do please be careful shooting in the neck, Cherry. Can be iffy in way that other veins aren't. Also doesn't look so great at work ;)

Look after yourself, Ms Funk <3
 
Shambles said:
Also, do please be careful shooting in the neck, Cherry. Can be iffy in way that other veins aren't. Also doesn't look so great at work ;)

Look after yourself, Ms Funk <3
Click to expand...

I know. I don't do it myself, I have an expert do it for me, and he never butchers me, he always checks it's drawn proper blood before pushing in, and we've got a signal system for when i need to breathe, I can't hold my breath for that long, or if it's hurting. As I have to put my thumb in my mouth and blow to bring the veins up. If I need air, i shake the fingers that are near my mouth, if it hurts and he has to stop, I click my other hand. But yeah, it leaves some nasty marks....tell tale track marks up the veins on your neck eventually stop looking like they could pass as love bites, and look like track marks. The only ones who seem to notice, are the ones who are injectors themselves.
 
havent read the thread (anyone else finding themselves doing more of this these days?) but there shouldnt be any restrictions certainly on post-16yr olds anyway. go to a proper exchange, preferably one at an actual drug clinic that has sympathetic nonusers/exusers behind the counter. if they give you any shit at all, hit them with the best guiltrip you can.. like "oh okay ive been using the same needle for three weeks and it finally broke so i was going to share with someone else but decided to ask here first"

if they have any sense whatsoever, theyll give you the HR spiel and hand you the freshies. if they um and ah at all, ask for their superior or failing that, try somewhere else. most folks in the field realise we're dealing with a lesser of two evils thing here
 
havent read the thread (anyone else finding themselves doing more of this these days?) but there shouldnt be any restrictions certainly on post-16yr olds anyway. go to a proper exchange, preferably one at an actual drug clinic that has sympathetic nonusers/exusers behind the counter.
Click to expand...

If you'd read the thread, I already told them that, giving them specific information regarding Bristol, the city they were asking about, and they have already replied to me saying thank you that was exactly the advice they were looking for. Sometimes, it's good to read threads.
 
cherrycolouredfunk said:
Glad I could help.


I had one friend who refused to go, as she didn't want to give her name, incase it affected future jobs, NAIVE!
Click to expand...

There is always one.

Obviously not the sharpest tool in the Box , or sharpest needle in the sin bin 8)

You are asked for a name & a D.O.B

It doesn't have to be your own one

. I've been going to Needle Exchanges for fukin years & back in the day when things were not as easy , the staff almost encouraged you to not give your real name . Anything to get you to use the service .
 
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