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Safer use rules
You can protect yourself from infection when using drugs by only ever using your own syringe and accessories. It is generally less risky to snort (sniff) or smoke drugs than to inject them.
The following rules should help you to handle drugs safely:
Spraying/Slamming
Due to the unavoidable contact with blood, intravenous consumption (syringes, including Slamming The most high-risk form of consumption in terms of HIV and hepatitis is the use of alcohol.
Blood residues on and in the needle and in the syringe, as well as on other utensils such as spoons, filters or water, can contain HIV and other viruses and bacteria in high concentrations, even if the blood is not visible to the naked eye.
That's why you should only ever use your own spraying equipment and utensils and not pass them on/share them. Ideally, you should use a new set of spraying equipment for every "print".
In many cities, there are facilities where sterile syringes are issued free of charge or for a very low price, or where you can exchange old syringes for new ones. Syringe vending machines allow access around the clock. You can find syringe vending machines in your area via the website www.spritzenautomaten.de.
If it is unavoidable to use spraying equipment that has already been used by others, you should at least boil or disinfect it. Instructions on how to do this can be found in the "Safer Use" brochure. You can download this download here.
You can find more detailed information and what you should bear in mind on our special page on this topic.
No banknotes
You should not use rolled banknotes for snorting at all. They are sharp-edged, can injure your nose and have usually been passed through many hands and are therefore often full of pathogens.
