How to Stay Safe and Practice Harm Reduction If You Use Drugs
By Peg Rosen
Opioids can be dangerous and potentially deadly, but, if you are using them, there are things you can do to lower your risks.
Experts call this “harm reduction,” which is a set of strategies that can reduce the negative — and sometimes life-threatening — effects of using drugs. If you or someone you care about is misusing opioids (either street drugs or prescribed medications), harm reduction can mean the difference between life and death. It may also buy some time until you or they are ready to make a change.
The following steps can keep you safer, healthier, and alive.
Know What’s Out There
Even if you never intentionally touch opioids, you’re still at risk. The synthetic opioid fentanyl is cheap to produce, colorless, odorless, and ultra-potent. It’s being cut into heroin and coke, and pressed into pills and being passed off as anything from Adderall to Xanax.
Test Drugs Yourself
No one regulates how illegal drugs are processed. No one can guarantee what’s in — or not in — them. Unless a drug comes directly from a pharmacy, there’s no telling what’s in it or whether it even contains the drug you want. If a dealer swears they’ve tested a drug, stay vigilant and test it yourself to ensure it does not contain fentanyl.
Fentanyl test strips generally cost about $1.50 to $2.50 apiece and can be ordered online from sites such as dancesafe.org, bunkpolice.com, and Amazon. You may also be able to get free test strips from a local health department or community harm-reduction program.
When using a test strip, you’ll liquify some of the drug by mixing it with water, and then put a few drops on the test strip. The key is to follow the directions exactly every time, even if it’s a bit of a pain.
Since fentanyl is often present in drugs in tiny amounts and may not be mixed evenly throughout, you can’t assume that if one pill or packet is clean, the next round will be too. Additionally, keep in mind that fentanyl test strips aren’t foolproof and that false positives and false negatives are possible. Testing negative for fentanyl also doesn’t mean a drug is free of other dangerous contaminants.
Keep Naloxone With You at All Times
Whether you’re knowingly using opioids or you’re using other drugs, keep naloxone on hand and know how to use it. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a lifesaving medication that can quickly reverse an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl. It is now sold over the counter, without the need for a prescription, at pharmacies across the U.S. Many agencies and advocacy groups also offer naloxone online and locally, often at no charge.
Learn more about how to get and use naloxone.
Don’t Use Alone
You can lose consciousness in a matter of seconds once a deadly dose of an opioid enters your bloodstream. Make sure you’re with someone who has naloxone or is aware of where yours is, knows how to use it, and is willing to give it to you if needed. If being with someone in person while using isn’t possible, you can call the National Overdose Prevention Lifeline (1-800-484-3731) and someone will stay on the phone with you until you are in a “safe zone.” They will also call emergency services if they think you are overdosing.
Learn About Resources Near You
The harm-reduction approach is rapidly gaining acceptance as a realistic and effective part of drug policy in many areas. Depending on where you live, you may be able to take advantage of clean needle exchanges, as well as harm-reduction vending machines, which dispense naloxone, fentanyl test strips, clean injection supplies, wound-care kits, and safe-sex kits (Google “harm reduction vending machines” + your county, city, or state).
A few cities in the U.S. also have comprehensive overdose-prevention centers, which provide clean, supervised spaces for drug use, sterile supplies at no cost, and counseling for people who are interested. The National Harm Reduction Coalition has a searchable database that can tell you what’s available where you live.
Consider Medication Treatment
If you worry about stopping using drugs because you are afraid of how difficult it may be, there are medications that can decrease cravings and symptoms of withdrawal. The medications ease the physical challenges of stopping drug use so you can focus on adjusting socially and emotionally to life without opioids.
If you are using street drugs recreationally and want to continue doing so, take every precaution possible. If, however, you are struggling with depression, stress, or anxiety, or you’re having thoughts of suicide, don’t be afraid to reach out for support. A licensed therapist who specializes in substance use disorders can help you find the support you need.
If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, text, call, or chat 988 for a free confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741, or call 911 if you are experiencing a medical emergency or there is immediate danger of harm.