Safer Injecting

People who inject drugs face big risks

The risks from injecting may be reduced:

  • Use the smallest needle possible to inject
  • Always avoid re-used and 'cleaned' needles
  • Rotate your injection sites so that any swelling of inflammation has time to settle down
  • Use sterile water by using fresh boiled water or clean fresh tap water
  • Poor injecting technique and dirty equipment can lead to infection

Remember: never borrow, lend or share needles, barrels, spoons, filters and other injecting equipment; this is because they all carry germs and bacteria that can cause serious infections.

FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE: DO NOT SHARE EQUIPMENT

If you want to know more about reducing the risk when injecting, the Harm Reduction Works website has video clips about:

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