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What’s In My Works Bag?

SyringesBest: Literally everything new for every injectionOK: Reuse a couple of times and/or bleach if sharingPlease Avoid: Share with people (whose [HIV/HCV]status) you know/are comfortable with

Syringes

Best: Literally everything new for every injection

OK: Reuse a couple of times and/or bleach if sharing

Please Avoid: Share with people (whose [HIV/HCV]status) you know/are comfortable with

Personal Biohazard Disposal BinBest: dispose of your used needle into a biohazard bin that cannot be tampered with.OK: Recycling hard plastic containers, like laundry detergent bottles, to use as a biobin also works!

Personal Biohazard Disposal Bin

Best: dispose of your used needle into a biohazard bin that cannot be tampered with.

OK: Recycling hard plastic containers, like laundry detergent bottles, to use as a biobin also works!

Personal Biohazard Disposal BinOK: Recycling hard plastic containers, like laundry detergent bottles, to use as a biobin also works!Please Avoid: Breaking needle tips off the barrel, discarding syringes in public spaces.

Personal Biohazard Disposal Bin

OK: Recycling hard plastic containers, like laundry detergent bottles, to use as a biobin also works!

Please Avoid: Breaking needle tips off the barrel, discarding syringes in public spaces.

Band Aids: Stop bleedingBest: Hold a cotton ball over the injection site as you slide the needle out, cover with a Band Aid.OK: Tissue or other hygienic materialPlease Avoid: Wiping with alcohol pads. Common myth: Alcohol pads “clean” the injection …

Band Aids: Stop bleeding

Best: Hold a cotton ball over the injection site as you slide the needle out, cover with a Band Aid.

OK: Tissue or other hygienic material

Please Avoid: Wiping with alcohol pads. Common myth: Alcohol pads “clean” the injection site after making a shot. Wiping with an alcohol pad can slow down clotting and delay wound healing.

CookersBest: New “harm reduction” cooker caps every timeOK: Sterilize a spoon or bottle cap (wash with soap and water, wipe with alcohol, dry)Please Avoid: Sharing or reusing cookers. Bacteria grow quickly, Hep C sticks around old cookers for days.

Cookers

Best: New “harm reduction” cooker caps every time

OK: Sterilize a spoon or bottle cap (wash with soap and water, wipe with alcohol, dry)

Please Avoid: Sharing or reusing cookers. Bacteria grow quickly, Hep C sticks around old cookers for days.


WatersBest: Sterile water/saline strips (Addipaks)Good: Tap water, sealed bottled water, boil water for 30 mins prior to injectionOK: Opened bottles of water, water from back of toiletPlease Avoid: Water from front of toilet, puddle/gutter water

Waters

Best: Sterile water/saline strips (Addipaks)

Good: Tap water, sealed bottled water, boil water for 30 mins prior to injection

OK: Opened bottles of water, water from back of toilet

Please Avoid: Water from front of toilet, puddle/gutter water

Alcohol Pads: Sterilize injection site (your skin)!Best: Soap and water, then alcohol wipe in outside spiral patternOK: Just alcohol pad; liquor (without sugar)Please Avoid: Nothing. Please try to do something to wash off the injection site before i…

Alcohol Pads: Sterilize injection site (your skin)!

Best: Soap and water, then alcohol wipe in outside spiral pattern

OK: Just alcohol pad; liquor (without sugar)

Please Avoid: Nothing. Please try to do something to wash off the injection site before injecting.

Cottons: To filter out cutts, prevent clots, blood infectionsBest: Sterifilt (a single-use filter) or new cotton for each new cooker for each new needle (each new shot)OK: Q-Tip or tampon cottonRisk: Long strands of cotton irritate veins; cause embo…

Cottons: To filter out cutts, prevent clots, blood infections

Best: Sterifilt (a single-use filter) or new cotton for each new cooker for each new needle (each new shot)

OK: Q-Tip or tampon cotton

Risk: Long strands of cotton irritate veins; cause embolus

Meh: New cigarette butts

Risk: Cellulose, could inject fibers, trapped bacteria, viruses

Please Avoid: Old cottons

Risk: Likely full of bacteria, maybe viruses or even mold; could cause blood infection

Tourniquet: Makes injection hole smaller, lessens wound and healing timeHow: After you’re in/register, release it first, go slow when injectingBest: Hospital grade/harm reduction tourniquetsOK: Bike inner tube, something stretchy, someone’s hand abo…

Tourniquet: Makes injection hole smaller, lessens wound and healing time

How: After you’re in/register, release it first, go slow when injecting

Best: Hospital grade/harm reduction tourniquets

OK: Bike inner tube, something stretchy, someone’s hand above it

Please Avoid: Belts, none (although not end of the world)

CondomsBest: Get tested regularly and discuss your status with potential partners before deciding to have sexGood: Safer sexual behaviors like manual instead of vaginal or anal penetration.OK: Use barrier methods such as condoms, gloves, etc.Please …

Condoms

Best: Get tested regularly and discuss your status with potential partners before deciding to have sex

Good: Safer sexual behaviors like manual instead of vaginal or anal penetration.

OK: Use barrier methods such as condoms, gloves, etc.

Please Avoid: Unprotected sex

Safer Sniffing Kits

Safer Sniffing Kits

Fentanyl Test Strips

Fentanyl Test Strips

Safer Smoking Kits

Safer Smoking Kits

Other ways to ingest

Other ways to ingest

Naloxone Kits

Naloxone Kits