Harm Reduction Needle Exchange Locations

[GBM]

Is there any sites posed at finding needle exchanges in Canada?

 

[stuckinaloop]

Just want to say NJ has a lot more exchanges than 1. There are 2-3 in Jersey City, 1 in newark I am sure of, maybe 2, 1 in Paterson I frequent (like christmas for a addict lool).

 

[Captain.Heroin]

DC Residents say goodbye to Prevention Works

A Statement on the Closure of PreventionWorks! from its Board of Directors
February 8, 2011

https://sites.google.com/a/preventionworksdc.org/public-internet/

On February 25, 2011, PreventionWorks! will close its operations after over 12 years of life‐saving services as a non‐profit organization supporting individuals struggling with drug use and interrelated social and health challenges. PreventionWorks! has been a trail‐blazing effort in the nation’s capital to offer a practical set of prevention and health promotion strategies, including access to sterile syringes, to reduce the harmful consequences of drug use while treating drug users with respect and dignity. Most notably, PreventionWorks! has played an invaluable role in the prevention of HIV transmission, undoubtedly saving thousands of lives. In 2007, over 26% of women and 18% of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia reported contracting the disease from injection drug use.

PreventionWorks! began in 1996 as a project of the Whitman‐Walker Clinic. In 1998, PreventionWorks! incorporated as its own organization after the U.S. Congress passed legislation forbidding the District of Columbia from using its local government funds to support harm reduction services and prohibiting organizations that received federal funding from operating a syringe exchange program, even if funded with private donations. Like most harm reduction organizations across the country, financial viability for PreventionWorks! was always a challenge, but numerous private foundations and grantmaking charities and an army of volunteers helped sustain its work. In 2007, the law was changed to allow DC government funds to support syringe exchange. As a result, PreventionWorks! and several other local organizations began receiving DC government funding for their prevention programs.

Recent government support was critical to giving PreventionWorks! the potential for staying power, but unfortunately the organization was ultimately unable to build and sustain the financial and organizational capacity worthy of its work. As a result, the Board of Directors decided to close the agency so supporters could turn their resources and volunteerism to more sustainable organizations. The PreventionWorks! Board of Directors feels great sadness and disappointment toward this ending, but made the difficult decision based on financial realities. The closure of the agency marks the end of a historic chapter in the city’s battle against HIV/AIDS. PreventionWorks! closes with 11 dedicated staff and hundreds of volunteers.

In part due to the advocacy and endurance of PreventionWorks!, government funds became available for harm reduction and syringe exchange, and as a result, other organizations in Washington, DC now provide such services. While PreventionWorks! made unique contributions to the District’s public health system that will not easily be replaced, it is fortunate that PreventionWorks! is shutting its doors at a time when there are other options for clients. Still, outreach and support services for drug users, including sterile syringe access, are not nearly to scale. In the absence of PreventionWorks!, it will be critical for the government and private funders to increase their support for those organizations that can step up to fill the void.

The PreventionWorks! Board of Directors would like to thank the private donors that supported the organization for so many years when the government could not, and the DC Department of Health for its critical support in more recent years. The Board also salutes the past and current staff who can stand tall for having saved thousands of lives over the past 12 years and for believing that any positive change in an individual’s life is indeed positive change. Even as the organization closes, PreventionWorks! staff has put the clients first. Above all, we acknowledge the courage and resilience of the PreventionWorks! clients themselves, who, despite the disease and stigma of drug use, have continued to persevere through their journeys of recovery in a society that has failed to provide adequate and effective resources for people struggling with addiction.



Washington, DC has the highest rate of new AIDS cases in the country with an estimated 1 in 20 residents living with HIV. The CDC estimates that injection drug use has directly and indirectly accounted for more than one-third of AIDS cases in the United States. Over the past decade, PreventionWorks! has evolved from a needle exchange organization into a critical part of the District of Columbia's HIV prevention strategy.
PreventionWorks! today offers tools, information and services for leading healthier lives. We provide sterile injection equipment, harm reduction supplies, safe disposal of used supplies, HIV testing (with results in 20 minutes), drug treatment referrals, wound care and safer sex kits, food, education, trainings, support groups and HIV medical case management/treatment adherence.

 

[BrokedownPalace]

I go to Project Access located in Newark (NJ) 393 Central Ave. You wont see it when you drive by, but on the side of the building there is an entrance to the 'pharmacy' and then the guy at the desk will direct you to the exchange.

They are really great, there. I just went back the other day, after not going for about a year since I am on MMT. But they have expanded, and even have 31g needles in the back. Sterile water, swabs, cottons, filters, band aids, condoms etc. He said he could get me micron filters, too. They also offer all kinds of rehab stuff and also HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis testing.

In the last year they expanded like three fold the guy was telling me. Good work they do down there.

You also get the 'get out of jail free' card which exempts you from a paraphinalia charge. But if you have dope, you're still going to jail. I got arrested like 10 minutes after leaving the exchange a long time ago, while my (ex)girlfriend was prepping our shots. Pretty dumb, I know. We got arrested, but they left all my syringes in the back seat, as well as the ones STILL FULL OF DOPE that I shoved in the door pocket. Strange..And it wasn't even after copping, either. We just went there specifically to get rigs, but had dope on us from the day before. The DEA guy was like "Shut the fuck up about the fucking syringe card, punk " Etc haha it was pretty funny.

Anyways on that site they list Project Access, but the hours have changed. I forget what they are, but they are open from like 10-4 every day except thursday (or friday?) Forget.. I have the paper in my lock box if anyone wants the info.

 

[tarStar]

city of SF--
Mondays

1 – 3 pm BAYVIEW 4720 Third, btwn Newcomb & Oakdale

5 – 7 pm HAIGHT 584 Cole, btwn Haight & Page

7 – 9 pm CIVIC CENTER Ivy St, garage under Tom Waddell, Polk & Grove


Tuesdays

10 am – 12 p SOMA 117-A Sixth, btwn Mission & Howard

4 – 6 pm SOMA 1372 Mission, near 10th St, sex workers only

6 – 8 pm CASTRO behind Safeway, nr Church & Market




Wednesdays

5 – 7 pm HAIGHT 584 Cole, btwn Haight & Page

6 – 8 pm TL 183 Golden Gate, btwn Leavenworth & Jones

6 – 8 pm MISSION 427 South Van Ness, btwn 15th & 16th


Thursdays

6 – 8 pm MISSION 165 Capp, btwn 16th & 17th, Ladies’ Night

7 – 9 pm POLK / TL Hemlock Alley, off Polk btwn Post & Sutter



Fridays

12 – 2 pm SOMA 117-A Sixth, btwn Mission & Howard

5 – 7 pm HAIGHT 584 Cole, btwn Haight & Page

6 – 8 pm TL 234 Eddy, btwn Jones & Taylor

7 – 9 pm MISSION 16th & Mission, mobile distribution only


Saturdays

3 – 11 pm SOMA 117-A Sixth, btwn Mission & Howard


Sundays

1– 4 pm TL 183 Golden Gate, btwn Leavenworth & Jones


wound care & free health services, needle exchange, HIV/AIDS testing, sexual health, referrals for methadone/suboxone, nalaxone

 

[ThePharmicist]

This is a great idea, in the future we should organize the contact information for every needle exchange in EVERY state so that BL'ers and others looking for exchanges can look at one comprehensive directory.

Here's the info for my local exchange:

The Minnesota AIDS Project
1400 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: 612–341–2060 | Toll Free: 800–243–7321
Fax: 612–341–4057 | Email
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Syringe Exchange (Mainline)
Purchase Syringes (Minnesota Pharmacy/Syringe Access Initiative)


I don't know if a lot of other needle exchanges do this, but the Minnesota Aids Project has a list of pharmacies that will sell packs of syringes without a prescription. In MN even though it's legal to buy, sell and posses clean syringes many pharmacies refuse to sell them to people without a prescription.

It is legal under MN State law to purchase and possess clean, unused syringes. [MSA 151.40, subd 2 and MSA 152.01, subd 18 (b)]

The Minnesota AIDS Project works with community partners including the Minnesota Department of Health to engage pharmacies to promote syringe access. The pharmacies on this map have agreed to participate in the Syringe Access Initiative. For more information about the Minnesota Pharmacy/Syringe Access Initiative, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.

 

[Sepher]

For UK drug users in the north of England, St. Annes in Leeds will deliver direct to your door. Used to get 100 x 1ml pins ( Myjector and / or Microfine brand if memory serves cos that's what I used and asked for. ) complete with swabs, citric, and needle safes delivered once a week at a time of my choosing, and they'd take away the crap from the previous week. St. Annes is one of the better known organisations in Leeds dealing with alcoholics / drug users / homeless. They require nothing more than a scribble on a piece of paper, no questions asked, and an address if you want them to deliver. You will find them travelling round the city centre on foot most days with a little back-pack handing out needles. Vast majority of those selling the Big Issue will be able to point you to them if you ask nicely. Just be sure to buy a paper when you do!

If you're homeless / transient they can even provide a GP, dental services, counselling, help with housing and benefits and at least one meal a day for next to no money. They're based in Woodhouse / Headingley, but their city centre drop-in is just over the road from Leeds main bus station at the intersection of Duke Street and York Street. Google 'St Annes near Duke Street, Leeds' or 'LS9 8AA' for a map. I can't recommend them highly enough.

http://www.st-annes.org.uk/what_we_do/substance_use
http://www.st-annes.org.uk/what_we_do/substance_use/Drugs.htm
66 York Street
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS9 8AA
t: 0113 242 1161 / 0113 236 6610 for their drugs project ( numbers checked and working as of date of post. )
[email protected]

 

[ms4104]

http://www.drugpolicy.org/about-us/departments-and-state-offices/new-jersey/winning-syringe-access-new-jersey/new-jersey-syrin

Here is a VITAL webpage if you are in North Jersey Hudson County area. It lists hours and locations for a few exchanges. I've personally been to the one in Jersey City and it fuckin rules. They always have food going there, and the hours are GREAT. its like 12pm to 8pm fuckin GREAT hours 5 days a week. And you leave there feeling like you are walking out of santa;s house at the north pole lol. a brown bag full of shit. Its the bomb diggity and a half.

And here in NY you can buy syringes without a script. You need ID and can only buy a max of 10 per visit. I usually pick up a pack of pins like you would cigs. They are like $3 with tax from Walgreens at Union Square, and $4 from Duane Reade. But Walgreens is 24 hours.. they are like your one stop pin shop lol all the addicts go there to pin shop

Atlantic City — South Jersey AIDS Alliance, Oasis Drop-In Center, 32 South Tennessee Avenue. Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Wednesday 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm. (Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm by request)
Contact: Therese or Bruno 609-345-0278

Camden — Camden Area Health Education Center, Broadway and Fairview (mobile site). Tuesday 10:30 am – 2:30 pm. Thursday 12:30 -3:30 pm.
Contact: Ellen 856-963-2432 x216

Newark — Northern Jersey Community Research Institute (NJCRI), 393 Central Avenue. Monday – Friday 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. 101 Ludlow Street (mobile site) Tuesday 9:30 am – 11:30 am. Wednesday 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm.
Contact: Al or Paul 973-483-3444 x 133

Paterson — Well of Hope Drop-In Center, 207 Broadway. Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Thursday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Contact: Jerome 973-523-0700

Jersey City — Hyacinth AIDS Foundation Drop-in Center, 492 Communipaw Avenue. Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 12:00 – 8:00 pm.
Contact: Alicia 201-360-3910