Drugs

GDAS Drug Support

Below are some tips for reducing the harm from drugs:

Planning your drug use:

  • Test the drugs you are going to take, Wedinos provides testing of substances, samples can be submitted by anyone in wales. GDAS can support an individual wishing to submit a sample. Click here
  • Research the drug you are about to take, know the effects, average dose and what to expect during and after the experience.
  • Plan how you are getting home before you start your night.
  • Avoid taking drugs alone, try to have a friend with you and tell them how much you have taken.
  • Plan your doses in advance and only carry with you what you plan on taking, it’s easier to take more than you planned if you are carrying it with you.

During your drug use:

  • Try not to mix drugs, including alcohol as this can cause dangerous and unpredictable effects. If you are unable to avoid alcohol try to limit your drinks or choose lower alcohol content and drink water between your drinks.
  • Start off by taking smaller amounts and pace yourself, try to wait 2 hours before taking anymore drugs.
  • Keep hydrated, drink small sips of water.
  • Take regular breaks when dancing.
  • If you start to feel negative effects, changing your environment may help. If the effects you are experiencing are too strong try to relax and take small sips of water/juice.
  • If you need to seek medical help be honest about what you have taken and the amount.

After your drug use:

  • Try to have some drug free days each week to help your body to recover.
  • Get regular health check-ups including testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) and testing for blood borne viruses (BBV) e.g. HIV, hepatitis b and hepatitis C.

Snorting

  • Sharing snorting tools can spread infections and blood borne viruses e.g. HIV, use your own equipment when snorting.
  • Avoid using bank notes to snort as they can cut the inside of your nose, they also aren’t disposable. Paper straws are a good alternative to bank notes.
  • To prevent the powder causing further damage to the inside of your nose, rinse your nose out with clean water after snorting.
  • Use different nostrils for each dose and position the tool as high up in the nostril as possible.

Smoking

  • If smoking from foil, use clean foil each time, this can be provided from our needle exchanges.
  • Avoid holding smoke in your lungs as this can damage the tissue.
  • Grind or break the drug into small pieces.
  • If you are smoking stimulant drugs the effects may be intense but short lived which may leave you craving more, try to wait as long as possible between doses or use a timer to keep track of your use.
  • Sharing pipes can spread infections and blood borne viruses, only use your own equipment and get tested regularly for BBV’s.
  • Illnesses and skin infections can also be passed by sharing joints, cigarettes or pipes.
  • Try to use an unprinted card for roaches so you don’t inhale chemical ink.
  • If you are using a pipe allow it to cool down between uses and hold the pipe as far away from the flame as possible to reduce the chance of burns. Keep your burns clear and dry, if your burns do not start to heal or become red/inflamed seek medical help.

Injecting

  • Only use clean needles and supplies, free, clean needles are available from needle exchanges or they can be bought online.
  • Use the smallest needle you can without it becoming blocked.
  • Wash injection sites before and after use.
  • Always filter your drugs.
  • Needles become blunt after one use, use a fresh needle if you fail to find a vein first time.
  • Rotate injection sites.
  • Never share equipment including needles, filters, containers, spoons and water.
  • Dispose of needles responsibly, they can be returned to a needle exchange.
  • Seek medical attention if the injecting site becomes painful, tender or hot, or there is swelling for more than a few days.

Swallowing

  • Powder can be put into a capsule, wrapped into a cigarette paper or mixed into a drink and swallowed.
  • Use a clean cigarette paper or gel capsule to ‘bomb’ powder.
  • If mixed into a drink, take care to accurately dose. To make sure nobody else accidentally drinks it, mark the cup/bottle and never leave your drink unattended.
  • Grind or crush powder down as fine as possible before use, this makes it easier to judge a dose and speed up absorption into the body.
  • If you are taking a pill, dose low. Start with a quarter or half of a pill and wait 2 hours before re-dosing. Some pills take a while to break down meaning it will take longer for you to feel the effects.