Some instructions to follow while shooting up
washing hands, and cleaning the injection site with soap and water, or an alcohol swab;
preparing drugs for personal use in your own space, and using equipment that has not been used by anyone else;
choosing the smallest possible bore and length needle for the site;
selecting a suitable vein, and introducing the needle by carefully sliding it under the skin, at a shallow angle and with the bevel up, and then into the vein;
injecting with the blood flow, i.e. towards the heart;
pulling back the plunger to identify that the needle is in a vein - a small amount of dark red venous blood should trickle into the syringe. If a tourniquet is used it should be loosened once you have drawn blood back into the syringe;
injecting slowly to reduce the likelihood of drugs leaking around the needle into the tissues surrounding the vein and damaging the vein;
injecting the hit in two halves with a short break (a few seconds) between will reduce the overdose risk;
not jacking back blood and ‘flushing’ after a shot - as this can significantly increase damage to the vein;
removing the needle slowly and carefully;
applying pressure to the site with a blood proof pad, cotton wool or tissue (bruising is caused by bleeding into the surrounding tissue. Immediate firm pressure will limit the amount of bruising caused); and
safely disposing of used injecting equipment, and whatever has been used to stop bleeding.
