Fact Sheet Number 153
- HOW DOES DRUG USE RELATE TO HIV?
- INJECTION AND INFECTION
- NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
- DRUG USE AND UNSAFE SEX
- MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS
- THE BOTTOM LINE
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PrintUSE RELATE TO HIV?
Drug use is a major factor in the spread of HIV infection. Shared
equipment for using drugs can carry HIV and hepatitis, and drug
use is linked with unsafe sexual activity.
Drug use can also be dangerous for people who are taking anti-HIV
medications. Drug users are less likely to take all of their medications,
and street drugs may have dangerous interactions with HIV medications.
INFECTION
HIV infection spreads easily when people share equipment to use
drugs. Sharing equipment also spreads hepatitis
B, hepatitis C, and other serious diseases.
Infected blood can be drawn up into a syringe and then get
injected along with the drug by the next user of the syringe.
This is the easiest way to transmit HIV during drug use because
infected blood goes directly into someone’s bloodstream.
Even small amounts of blood on cookers, filters, tourniquets,
or in rinse water can be enough to infect another user. Blood
on your hands – even small amounts – can also be dangerous when
you help someone else find a vein, steady their arm, or when you
pass equipment.
To reduce the risk of HIV and hepatitis infection, never
share any equipment used with drugs, and keep washing your
hands. Carefully clean your cookers and the site you will
use for injection.
A recent study showed that HIV can survive in a used syringe
for at least 4 weeks. If you have to re-use equipment, you
can reduce the risk of infection by cleaning it between users.
If possible, re-use your own syringe. It still should be cleaned
because bacteria can grow in it.
The most effective way to clean a syringe is to use water first,
then bleach and a final water rinse. Try to get all blood out
of the syringe by shaking vigorously for 30 seconds. Use cold
water because hot water can make the blood form clots. To kill
most HIV and hepatitis C virus, leave bleach in the syringe for
two full minutes. Cleaning does not always kill HIV or hepatitis.
Always use a new syringe if possible.
PROGRAMS
Some communities have started needle exchange programs to give
free, clean syringes to people so they won’t need to share. These
programs are controversial because some people think they promote
drug use. But research on needle exchange shows that this is not
true. Rates of HIV infection go down where there are needle exchange
programs, and more drug users sign up for treatment programs.
Needle exchange programs are legal in New Mexico. Call the
New Mexico AIDS Hotline at (800) 545-2437 for the location of
legal needle exchange programs in New Mexico. The North American
Syringe Exchange Network has a web page listing several needle
exchange programs at http://www.nasen.org/
SEX
For a lot of people, drugs and sex go together. Drug users might
trade sex for drugs. Some people think that sexual activity is
more enjoyable when they are using drugs.
Drug use, including alcohol, increases the chance that people
will not protect themselves during sexual activity. Someone who
is trading sex for drugs might find it difficult to set limits
on what they are willing to do. Anyone using drugs is less likely
to remember about using protection, or to care about it.
DRUGS
It is very important to take every dose of anti-HIV medications.
People who are not adherent (miss doses) are more likely to have
higher levels of HIV in their blood, and to develop resistance
to their medications. Drug use is linked with poor adherence,
which can lead to treatment failure.
Some street drugs interact with medications. The liver breaks
down some medications used to fight HIV, especially the protease
inhibitors and the non-nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase
inhibitors. It also breaks down some recreational drugs, including
alcohol. When drugs and medications are both “in line”
to use the liver, they might both be processed much more slowly.
This can lead to a serious overdose of the medication or of the
recreational drug.
An overdose of a medication can cause serious side effects.
An overdose of a recreational drug can be deadly. At least one
death of a person with HIV has been blamed on mixing a protease
inhibitor with the recreational drug Ecstasy.
Drug use is a major cause of new HIV infections. Shared equipment
can spread HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. Recreational drug
use, including alcohol, contributes to unsafe sexual activities.
To protect yourself from infection, never re-use any equipment
for using drugs. Even if you re-use your own syringes, clean them
thoroughly between times. Cleaning is only partly effective.
In some communities, needle exchange programs provide free,
new syringes. These programs reduce the rate of new HIV infections.
Drug use can lead to missed doses of anti-HIV medications.
This increases the chances of treatment failure and resistance
to medications.
Mixing recreational drugs and anti-HIV medications can be dangerous.
Drug interactions can cause serious side effects or dangerous
overdoses.
Reviewed May 16, 2002
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