Safe Your Self

Sex isn't the only way you can get HIV. Another way is through sharing needles (syringes). But those who shoot drugs can still protect themselves from HIV. The best thing to do is to USE A CLEAN NEEDLE AND WORKS (cotton, cooker, spoon, etc.) EVERY TIME! Don't share. And throw away used needles and works.

If you don't have any clean needles, try to find a clean-needle exchange program in your area (check Resources for Drug/Needle Exchange). As a last resort, you can clean your needles and works with bleach and water. Here's how:

Step 1: Fill syringe with water.
Step 2: Shake it up to rinse it. Tap it to get out air bubbles.
Step 3: Shoot the water out. Dump out this water. Repeat steps 2 and three until you can't see
any blood.
Step 4: Pour some bleach into a glass. Stick the needle in the bleach and draw the bleach through
the syringe up to the top. Leave the needle in the glass of bleach and wait 30 seconds.
Step 5: Shoot the bleach back into the glass. Dump out this glass of bleach so you won't reuse it.
Step 6: Fill the syringe again with new water, shoot it out and repeat at least 3 times to make
sure you rinse all the bleach out. Shooting bleach into your veins can cause serious
medical problems.

If you don't have new works, do the same thing with them-rinse with water, soak in bleach for 30 seconds, then rinse THOROUGHLY with water.

And always use new cotton. Try to clean needles & works as soon after use as possible, before blood can clot on them