Needles Anyone?

[Zoop]

In response to the banner question on the front page (what's the rules regarding needles in your state (country too, I guess)),

In Virginia, it couldn't be easier. You walk up to the pharmacy and say, "I'd like to buy a bag of 1cc insulin syringes" or "1/2cc" or "1/3cc" whatever size you like. They will sell the big 3cc ones too if they have them.

You just don't tell them it's for "drugs."

$2.99 for a bag of 10 insulin syringes. Around $0.50 per for the large 3cc ones. When buying the large size ones (great for breaking down pills and capsules), you tell the druggist that it's for vitamin injections for my dog (or cat).

I can't imagine that in some states they won't sell syringes without an RX, I mean I know that is the case some places, but that just plain sucks.

[SomniGod]

Colorado used to be easy... TX was difficult...right person behind the counter.



~S~

[candy]

As someone who has worked/volunteered/used needle exchange personally, I cannot understand why more states do not adopt to the philosphy of Harm Reduction. Countless research has been done by the CDC and outside agencies that has shown that Needle Exchange works to reduce the numbers in those infected by HIV/HCV(Hepatitis C). In that research, they have shown that Needle Exchange does not promote drug use and the numbers of those actually using has dropped with Harm Reduction programs in place. Needle Exchanges not only offer a place to exchange dirty needles for clean needles, but other services such as, referrals to drug treatment programs, housing, medical/mental health services, and referrals for those infected with HIV/HCV.

Our Government officials seem to be suffering from that age old NIMBY Syndrome- Not In My BackYard.
They fear violence, crime, and those with drug problems hanging around their neighborhoods. Chances are morons, we are here hanging around anyway. Tell me of one small town or large city not affected by drugs and addiction. Not all heroin addicts or injection drug users are of the stereotype and even if we are, does it mean that we should die of something as awful as AIDS.


Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent worldwide to treat those infected with HIV/HCV. The number of new cases is rising and the majority is now IDU's(injection drug users). With Needle Exchange Programs in place, whether it be on a street corner or in a pharmacy, Millions of dollars could be spent on other programs. Hell, most needle exchange can be done from someone's trunk.
The cost of making the needles is pennies and with a one to one exchange, agencies and pharmacies alike would receive funding to pay for that one to one exchange, if participating in a program such as Needle Exchange.

If they could only see that they are not promoting drug use, but promoting healthier living. The war on drugs, LOL!!! Just say NO!!!! How about just say YES!

[SuperJunky]

I live on the border of NH and MA. In MA if you get a needle exchange card you can have any amount of clean or dirty needles. You go to the needle exchange and they'll give you 30 your first visit then exchange what you bring back plus 10. In NH you buy them at the pharmacy but if you have a used needle they send it to the lab and charge you. It's so odd how the rules regarding something in my pocket changes as I go to score. Crazy.

[Coddfish]

You don't need a script in Maine, however I usually say that my dog needs allergy shots once per month, which is true. The same goes in Oklahoma, although some chains and privately owned stores wont give without a prescription. There was a farmacy in Moore oklahoma that used to be a favorite. The folks there already had packages of 10 bagged up, 3.00, no tax. A person put down the money and walked out. Eventually the pharmacist went away and that place wouldn't sell them any more. I guess maybe the owner of the place heard what was going on and got mad, or something like that. I was told at one place that if I could bring in the bottle of syrum I was giving my dog, they would sell them too me. Sometimes you get jerk pharmacists that don't care what's legal. Experiences tend to be different wherever you go.

[Daniroo]

Hey everyone,
Here in MT you can buy syringes(riggs) from a pharmacy, I always just act like I'm buying them for my elderly diabetic mother-in-law or something, I always write it (the type, brand, etc.) down on like a grochery list or a post-it and I actually go to the trouble making the writing look as if it's from and old person, and then when they ask"What type were you wanting"? I say something like well SHE, said she wanted 100cc, 30 gauge, which is probably evident it's not for diabetic use but in my opinion pharmacists and health care providers should allow people to purchase clean, fresh riggs, because I know within what I've experienced I will use the old dirty, very dull, unsanitary rigg for my purpose, If and addict or just plain ol' person wants to and or desperately "needs" to use, oh believe me they will, no matter what. I know a girl and her boyfriend had scored some "heroin" and lived in New York city down in the park they knew there were peoples old dirty riggs that they could use to get high of course they were anxious, they'd been dope sick all day and finally connected, but one last problem, no syringes, So wothout bleaching or even rinsing the actual syringe, thay both used it and now both have hep c pretty bad, but thank god they didn't contract HIV or AIDS, I feel this story is a perfect example if they had a place where they could've gotten clean, new riggs they wouldn't have hep c, I don't believe at all that just being able to get clean riggs will make people, or the drug epidemic sky-rise, ie. Montana, you can get riggs pretty much anywhere at a pharmacy of course, and yes the meth problem is rising, I have had and do have friends that aleways and still do just take there dope, Ms contin, oxys, dilaudids etc. etc. either orally or snort it and believe me they've had the offerings of having one of there "friends who shoot" show them, it's like either you are or you're not it's not like some 10th grader that get's a hold of his dad's old painkillers from some ol' surgery is gonna go buy some syringes and just start shooting, that would be a 1 in a billion chance, so let addicts get high more safely because (speaking from experience) the addict will do it how they want to anyway guaranteed. I feel truely blessed for getting on suboxone, here's why it's different and much better than methadone, if you really want to "be well again", I feel I can say this cause I've been on both, You really have a hard time giving an addict a whole bottle of pills cause what will the addict more than likely do with it? Well in my experience, I would just keep taking my methadone to get higher and higher, and then what was suppose to last me 3-4 days is gone in one day, and also if you take methadone you can still ingest, shoot or whatever, Heroine, (any opiodes on top of taking the methadone) until you pass out or whatever, Well with suboxone you just CAN'T take anymore than 4, 8mg pills in a day cause if you do it'll throw you into immediate withdrawel symptoms, and man oh man is that the freagin worst!! Also If you take your suboxone, (usually sublingually, under the tongue) you can't take any other opiodes, I mean you can, but the suboxone blocks your opiate receptors, so if you go and shoot that morph, or oxy it is a total waste, you will not feel it believe me I've tried,(ya know, just to make sure!!) so the chances of staying clean is a higher chance(what I think is CLEAN) I went to rehabs, meetings on and on and the main reason I always used again is cause I always felt so awful, even after 3 months straight, I would wake up in the middle of the night, if I got to sleep at all, but I would be just soaked w/sweat, not to mention, your plumbing is so haywire, so you're always soooo tired but can't sleep, I was soo anxiety ridden I felt as if I had electicity plugged into me. And it's not like after a couple of weeks you're all back to normal, oh no, pills or what ever you cup of tea in the opiode world was, is all you think about it's like you can't just shut it off. But honestly after I was prescribed suboxone, I instantly felt better, not necessarily "high" but just WELL, the sweating stopped ,comes back when I take like 4 subs in one day, but really one of the best parts about it was and is, That it stopped the obsessing, the daydreams, nightdreams, I could finally focus on how to try to live my life again, cause for a very long time all I thought was drugs, and death, drugs and death , pretty much in that order too. When I first took suboxone ever, I took 1/2 of a 8mg,(4mg) and soo instantly felt better but when I was finally prescribed it, and I put that awful bad generic orange 7-up flavored pill under my tongue, man I threw up like there was no tomorrow, but now that I take the sub in a way that works for me, it's great. Except the cost, If I were to buy my whole script all at once it would be like $498.00 bucks so I buy as I go... but if you do that, be sure to know that for instance(shopko) pharmacy will only let you fill it 5 times in a row even if you only fill one at a time!!, thay say it's the DEA but that never has happened to me at any other pharmacy, I think maybe they're just covering their butts, cause so many people "get lost" in their computers, after all it is a class 4 narcotic!! yummy, OK my fingers are soar thanks for reading my rambling, Damn I'm a wind bag.


Thanks again, hopefully this helps, Daniroo (Dani) (MT)

[puffdragon]

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent worldwide to treat those infected with HIV/HCV. The number of new cases is rising and the majority is now IDU's(injection drug users)

you nailed it right there,drug companies are making millions on aids and hiv drugs,they have a lot more lobbying power than addicts do.


I know a girl and her boyfriend had scored some "heroin" and lived in New York city down in the park they knew there were peoples old dirty riggs that they could use to get high of course they were anxious, they'd been dope sick all day and finally connected, but one last problem, no syringes, So wothout bleaching or even rinsing the actual syringe, thay both used it and now both have hep c pretty bad, but thank god they didn't contract HIV or AIDS, I feel this story is a perfect example if they had a place where they could've gotten clean, new riggs they wouldn't have hep c


the thing is somebody who cares that little about there own health would probably share needles or get infected some other way.you have to give a fuck before it will make any difference.yes they would probably use the exchange for the most part but I could guarantee they would not be 100% clean with there works. it is a great idea for the people who would use it properly though. anybody who lives where it is hard to get can order from the internet or make connections with someone who could get them from out of state.if you arent willing to do anything to prevent yourself from getting hep c or hiv/aids then it is your own fault. we are not talking thousands of dollars here, needles are cheap. if you can afford dope than you can afford clean rigs. and if you cant afford clean rigs then you need to quit doing drugs and save a bit of cash for stuff like food and rent, you know stuff you need as oppossed to want.

[blackdog]

part of it is all a game.theres alot of rules and regulations involved with pharmicies and such .and so it just some asshole making us jump /how high thru some hoops.just another reason to want to do more drugs and be able to forget about the small stuff that is every day fricken life da/dawgg

[superman]

i just buy a couple hundred @ wal-mart when i am running low. $50/200 is a small price to pay in exchange for not having to ask the local pharmacist for them, or clean them and sharpen them. and for any here who have used dirty needles, it takes only a few minutes to clean and sharpen your own syringe. why take the risk?

[copelandia]

I don't give any story or even bother being hesitant. I just say the size and how many I want.

3.00 for 10

I do wonder if I should have some legal reason, like the above excuse of an injectable vitamin for the dogs, when traveling with needles though. Would a fresh pack of needles freak out a cop? Sure doesn't freak out the pharmacy.

[chemboy7]

I am studing to become a pharmacist (getting my Pharm. D. with a minor in organic chem. and a Bachelors degree in Pharmacy Technology) here in Mi. and my professors seem to have mixed views on the subject. I assume that some pharmacies do and some dont but I am unsure. I would like to hear from anyone with experience in this state in that area. I can tell you one thing though, being that Mi. doesn't have laws against it, I would have no problem selling them without a script... that's like refusing to sell condoms because you don't believe in sex, the good outweighs the bad by anyones frame of thought. I do know that Pharmacist can refuse to sell anything to anyone on the grounds of his/her moral objections (like in the case of birthcontrol) so if they refuse to sell to you, even if it is legal, it is not mandatory.