Heroin WHy do sources of injection information say to use such large needles?

[burn out]

For example, taken from the pamphlet "getting off right":

A 28 gauge needle (abbreviated 28G) is therefore
thinner than a 25 gauge needle, which is in turn thinner
than an 18 gauge needle. Most intravenous injectors use
either a standard insulin set which typically has a 27G or
28G needle (and an orange cap), or a standard tuberculin
set with a 25G needle (frequently referred to as a bluetip
because of its color).

Why would anyone use a 25G needle for IV or even 27G? I use a 30G needle and it works fine. I don't even have problems using a 31G needle. I tried using a 26G needle one time and it was extremely painful. I can't see how this could be recommended.

 

[jshmut]

I use 31 all the time. Simply because it leaves no track marks. i have used an 18 gauge once or twice (desperate) ..shit hits you while plunging haha but i would say fuck using anything under 28 gauge.

 

[burn out]

Yeah, I agree but that doesn't expalin why this pamphlet says otherwise.

 

[woamotive]

The needle exchange primarily has 27 gauge where I live. They give out maybe five 31 gauge if you ask for them - I asked why, they said they are more expensive to buy. Thus, the 27's (for example) are more expensive, at least that is the case where I live. It's true, though - the 27's leave marks, the 31's don't (seem to).

I have never seen a 25. Perhaps that pamphlet is applicable to a certain region or area?

 

[Znegative]

I've used a 25 gauge once. It had a three mL barrel, and I had bought it purposely to try out IV clonazepam (clonazepam has a solubility of about ~.1mg/mL, and at the time I had a low tolerance so .25mg would get me buzzed). It is disgusting, to say the least, to use anything bigger than .27. I felt like the point was as wide as my vein. I can not see any real practical reason that one would want to use such a large gauge (unless it's for something as retarded as say, shooting benzo's that are hardly soluble in water.$

 

[Sepher]

But what you've quoted doesn't recommend larger needles, it just says they're sometimes used? I always used orange capped insulin syringes, either BD Microfine 28 gauge or Terumo Myjector 27 gauge with fixed 1/2 inch long needles. Thinner than 28G was a pain in the arse cos blockages were common, possibly because we have to cook our gear with citric in the UK and maybe that makes the blood clot faster, IDK? Anything bigger was painful and pointless, but you might want to use a larger, longer needle if you're IMing to cope with resistance from the muscle mass and give you some depth, or if you're shooting into the femoral vein for instance, where a larger, longer needle is required to get the depth you need into a tough vein and minimise the possibility of breakages. You'd quite typically use a long 25G or 23G even for femoral. Think that's what the bit you quoted was driving at.