Southern States Outlaw Syringe Exchanges Used to Prevent Disease

I live in Texas and i pick up clean rigs everytime im out but that's only because Drug Check is i believe the only company in texas that will actually give anyone needles without them being diabetic. I can surely tell though not everyone know drug check's policy's because the same people i get my H from actually give me a discount when i bring them free rigs, they actually will go into cvs or wal-mart and beg for new needles. I hate this "get tough" policy its incredibly idiotic.
 
I live in texas and have no problem buying from basically every pharmacy I've been to. I've bought some from Walmart (my primary store for needles), walgreens, and the pharmacy in albertsons. There is no law in texas requiring a prescription for syringes. Pharmacists are legally allowed to sell syringes to anyone that asks. Now they can deny the sale of syringe (just like they can medication) all they want. IME as long as I go in (usually through the drive through) and don't look sketchy I have no problem.
 
Where I live it's totally legal to purchase clean rigs from the pharmacy. I've never had any problems but I have friends that claim they have been refused service. Some are just unwilling to try for fear of being denied or getting in trouble, something that I don't quite understand. Even though you can purchase needles there's no place in the area to get micron filters. Honestly, I think if there was an exchange in my area people wouldn't feel so uncomfortable trying to purchase/obtain clean needles.
 
i feel lucky i can buy them for cheap anywhere or if i ever was broke i know several people who worked for and ran exchange programs before the fed funding cuts and now do it out of their homes.....dedicated people, addict and non addict alike. i am up north in minneapolis however federal funding cuts affected all states with syringe exchanges.
 
also, i have been denied at some pharmacies and been through talking to managers and everything, the deal is this;at wallgreens they can sell them to you(1/10 pack)w/o a prescription but at the pharmacists discretion, other pharmacies have similar policies, some dont sell to addicts because they cant accept dirty rigs and use that as an excuse not to sell. it allways comes down to the pharmacist but little trouble is had here, plus we have the aids project which will meet you in an emergency with rigs(in an ambulance no less!).
 
toothpastedog said:
Agreed, thank you. I'll find more on this and keep posting in the drug in the media forum.
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The author of the article also works at the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition and they are kicking ass in opening up the conversation of syringe access & overdose in the South- that's where I go for up to date info on that topic. They also do an interesting newsletter that might be worth signing up for?

Also, to put a name with the face of the amazing people at the AHRC mentioned in the article, check out this video featuring Michael K Williams (aka Omar from The Wire) getting a tour of the project.
 
I couldn't agree more!

Captain.Heroin said:
I'm so glad I live in Los Angeles, where there are needle exchanges operating legally. There are also local laws that dictate cops can't stake out a needle exchange to bust you!
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I live in Los Angeles, and utilize the Needle Exchange program at the Center for Harm Reduction often. I also go to support groups there. They offer an array of services directed towards low-income IV drug users, including social activities, housing assistance, individual and group therapy, medical attention and alternative medicine (yoga, tai chi, medication, acupuncture), out-patient and Suboxone detox programs, and even an impatient recovery program. Since I've lost my job, these services have been a Godsend. Even if you do have medical insurance, to go to a hospital and have IV drug use problems, you aren't treated like a normal patient, you are sub-human and doctors often treat you so poorly, you don't need to worry about any of that here.

I am so thankful these services exist. The more support I can get the easier it is to make good decisions, and if I'm in a group there for a hour, even while exchanging needles, I'm not using for that hour of the day. I wish I could make people see the good these services are doing for the country and the world. I recently applied to be a volunteer, actually right after reading this article, and then going to one of the drug support groups. I want to do something, I want to help change the global conscience of the critical mass, and while I blog, and hopefully reach some people that way, I want to be more hands on. Who knows if they will accept the help of a junky (we don't have the best reputation for being reliable, although that again is case by case person by person).

I'm glad there is a community here at bluelight to express these thoughts and not be judged critically and demonized. Let's hope this type of progress continues.

PS... who wants a link to my blog that centers around drugs a lot, PM me, and I'll give it to you!
 
Elkat13 said:
I live in Los Angeles, and utilize the Needle Exchange program at the Center for Harm Reduction often. I also go to support groups there. They offer an array of services directed towards low-income IV drug users, including social activities, housing assistance, individual and group therapy, medical attention and alternative medicine (yoga, tai chi, medication, acupuncture), out-patient and Suboxone detox programs, and even an impatient recovery program. Since I've lost my job, these services have been a Godsend. Even if you do have medical insurance, to go to a hospital and have IV drug use problems, you aren't treated like a normal patient, you are sub-human and doctors often treat you so poorly, you don't need to worry about any of that here.

I am so thankful these services exist. The more support I can get the easier it is to make good decisions, and if I'm in a group there for a hour, even while exchanging needles, I'm not using for that hour of the day. I wish I could make people see the good these services are doing for the country and the world. I recently applied to be a volunteer, actually right after reading this article, and then going to one of the drug support groups. I want to do something, I want to help change the global conscience of the critical mass, and while I blog, and hopefully reach some people that way, I want to be more hands on. Who knows if they will accept the help of a junky (we don't have the best reputation for being reliable, although that again is case by case person by person).

I'm glad there is a community here at bluelight to express these thoughts and not be judged critically and demonized. Let's hope this type of progress continues.

PS... who wants a link to my blog that centers around drugs a lot, PM me, and I'll give it to you!
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Similar situation in SD, although probably not as efficient/accessible. But we have a network of private/public/nopay clinics around here where, if you develop some complication like an abscess, which makes it obvious you have a needle habit, you can go to to avoid the emergency rooms, etc. I ended up going to an emergency room around here the one time I thought I was developing an abscess, so it hadn't yet gotten real nasty, and although I had to lie through my teeth about what happened they treated me fairly well. Yet I could still see it in their eyes, they were very hesitant work work with let alone help me. Lesson learned - Avoid hospital for needle related problems if you can help it.
 
This is as effective in stopping IV drug use as teaching abstinence to stop STIs... People will choose to have sex, teach and promote safe sex; people will choose to use, teach and promote safe drug use. Naive/utopian view, but still...
 
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