Big Surprise

[bogumil]

SWIM was buyin H today. When he waited with some other Junkies on the station he would ask the oney man about syringes and stuff, like where he gets them, how exactly he injects and so on.

When he asked that man: "Where do you get your needles from?". The man would reply:"Over there at the wall".

SWIM was wondering so they walked over and he saw a big box at the wall, just like the ones where you can buy cigarrettes or condoms from.

There were 3 buttons, each for a different Set: Long, medium, short and thre other buttons.

He threw 1 Euro into the machine, pressed the button for "short" and got a little box with the following items:

1 syringe (2ml)
1 needle (0.45 x 12mm / 26G x 1/2")
1 little ampoule with 1.5ml isotonic and sterile Nacl-solution
1 little bag with ascorbic acid (100%)
1 sealed alcohol-paper to clean the skin (y-sterilized, Isopropylalcohol 70%)

Everything was sealed sterile and neatly. I didnt know that this exists in my city and I find it really cool!

The box is called "syringe-pack - combi short". It has the items listed on the outside, the adress of the "Fixpoint Berlin" (which is a needle exchange), a telephone number, an internet adress and the following tips about hepatitis C:

"Did you know, that...

1. After a healed hep C, you can infect
yourself again because your body
cannot become immune against hep c?

2. A Hep C usually is extremely bad, when
you are HIV infected at the same time?"


I got told that you get this packs and the single items for free at the needle exchange. But this box really cool cause for only 1 EUR you dont need to do the way to the exchange and in case you have a big monkey, you have the chance to get a sterile set.

Do this things exist since a long time, so did I miss it, or is it new?

[Coddfish]

Holy f'n crap.....That's f'n cool!

[bogumil]

That was ehat Ive been thinking when I held the box things in my hand. I mean its really comfortable...

[candy]

Bogumil- That is great. What city do you live in, if I may ask? You can always send me a PM, if you like. It may be some great info for those who may live in your area as well. I have not heard of anything like this. I doubt if here in the U.S. we would see anything of that nature for many years, if ever.
There needs to be a huge shift in thinking when it comes to harm reduction.
The only way to decrease the number of new infections each year(HIV/HCV) is to make needles more accessible to those who use.
The government is never going to win the "war on drugs," and no matter what approach they use as a form of deterence, addiction and drug use will continue.
The costs of needle exchange is mere pennies compared to the cost of medical care for those with HIV/HCV. Hell, I have seen Needle Exchange from the back of someone's Buick. The cost of overhead is cheap, next to nothing and half the staff who run them are volunteers.

But, as we know it is not about cost or qualified staff. It's about the misconceptions....That giving clean needles to junkies only magnifies the problem and promotes drug use. And no good politician wants to be seen as someone who condones the use of drugs. No, he would much rather continue to pour millions and millions of dollars into health care for those infected with HIV or HCV or both.

The U.S. really needs to catch up in their approach to "Harm Reduction!"

[poppy]

As I've said before I find it amazing that the US, who certainly in Britain we class as being probably the most advanced society in the world are so backward in terms of harm reduction. However I think that maybe we are starting to take some backward steps; because certainly the whole concept of methadone maintainence is dying a slow but sure death (particularly those who are prescribed physeptone amps are an almost extinct breed). Now they expect us junkies to do a 3 month detox and be saved, unfortunately it doesn't work like that, especially for those addicts who have had a habit for many years. I wish it did because I'd have been 'cured' a long time ago.
There used to be a recognition of the success of methadone maintainence in stabilizing a person's life, but not any more. Things are now seen as being black or white, as in you use or you don't use. In reality there are various shades of grey inbetween and a person's life can be transformed by methadone (even if they still use occasionally) (ie) helping them back into society as in maybe going back to work, therefore earning money and not breaking the law and going to prison as a result of raising funds for a heroin habit; saving their children from being put into care, ......................the list goes on so why put a time limit on how long they can have the medicine for. I'm no politician but I think it all boils down to a combination of lack of NHS money and the almost epidemic proportions of heroin use in the UK.
I assume that sooner rather than later the UK will treat her drug addicts in the same way as the US and then wonder why so much money is being spent on the health care necessary to treat aids, hep c, deep vein thrombosis, amputations etc. Such conditions are inevitable if the tools of harm reduction (clean needles, sin bins, condoms, alcohol swabs, etc are not provided). The old adage 'its no good shutting the stable door once the horse has bolted springs to mind!!!
Whilst the US 'needs to catch up in their approach to "Harm Redcution" (Candy) the UK needs to maintain and improve the service they aready offer not regress some thirty years or so!!
However at the moment things are much better for us addicts in the UK and I truly feel for you addicts in the US and the lack of help and support which is offered to you. (particularly the lack of methadone programmes and the lack of needle exchanges!) Laters Poppy

[matfield]

hey bogumil- i'm aware of this thread being a little bit old but i was quite happy when i saw where u come from and i wanted to say something regarding the needle machines.
Fixpunkt (Fixpoint) has been providing the most important things for us users through these machines now for several years-at least 8 years.
I am working now one or two days each month at their needle exchange because im also thinking that they do a very important job that has to be supported.
i'm really glad something like that exists. Do you know about the using rooms? There a several locations where any user can use their drugs safely- another so important thing because most of ODs are so dangerous because people are alone.
ok-i would have contacted you via pm but unfortunately im not able to do this yet.
But i really would appreciate to hear from you and maybe to get into contact.