Injection Drug Use and HIV

The Injection Drug Use Outreach Project is responsible for delivering education, prevention and support to the injection drug using community and other individuals who may be at risk in our community (for example, street involved individuals, persons working in the sex trade). The program is based on a harm reduction philosophy. The main priority of the program is to prevent the spread of HIV in our community.

Issues Associated with Injection Drug Use

• Sharing needles or works while injecting puts drug users at high risk for contracting or transmitting HIV and/or Hepatitis C.
• Injection drug use is quite common in Thunder Bay and the number of people injecting is increasing.
• Many HIV-positive clients of AIDS Thunder Bay contracted HIV after sharing needles (even after sharing once).
• Many HIV positive drug users in Thunder Bay are also infected with Hepatitis C (HCV).
• In the Thunder Bay area, there are many substances commonly used by injectors. Some of these are cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, morphine, dilaudid, ritalin, heroin, etc.
• Bodybuilders and other athletes who share needles to inject anabolic steroids are also at risk for contracting or transmitting HIV and HCV.
• Diabetics who share needles while taking their insulin may also be at risk.

Community Partnerships

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