The Dangers of Sharing a Syringe or Needle When Injecting Heroin

The dangers of heroin are widely known, and this addictive and potent opioid made from morphine can cause plenty of damage all on its own. According to MedlinePlus, long-term use of heroin, which can be injected, snorted, or smoked, can lead to severe liver, kidney, and lung disease, in addition to mental health disorders, abscesses, and a high risk of overdose. However, injecting this illegal drink carries its own unique risks — especially when heroin needles aren’t sterile or are shared among multiple people.

If someone you love is showing signs of shooting up heroin and is sharing syringes or needles with other users, they could catch serious infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV and also be at a high risk of developing bacterial infections that can be deadly. That’s why getting professional help from a drug addiction rehab center like WhiteSands Treatment can be a life-saving decision.

What Are the Disadvantages of Sharing Needles?

While using heroin in any form is devastating for the user’s physical and mental health, there are several distinct disadvantages of injecting it — especially because many users will occasionally or often share heroin needles and injection paraphernalia, exposing themselves to life-threatening viruses and bacterial infections. There is clear evidence that IV drug users risk infections, and these can cause even more problems than the physical impacts of the drug itself. 

MedlinePlus says users who inject heroin risk catching viruses like HIV and hepatitis B and C. In addition, they can suffer from collapsed veins, meaning blood can no longer flow through the veins. Skin abscesses, or pockets of pus caused by infection, are also common among intravenous drug users. Bacterial infections are also a high risk, especially in the skin, bloodstream, and heart. A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy looked into the rising rates of skin and soft tissue infections by analyzing the potential risks of skin infections among people who inject drugs. The results showed a clear link between these skin and tissue infections and people who shared needles — but there was also a strong connection between the infections and people who only shared injection drug preparation equipment but not needles. It shows the risks of infections are high, even if users don’t necessarily share syringes. 

Can You Get Syphilis From Sharing Needles?

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is most often spread through sexual contact without a condom, which is why it’s considered a common sexually transmitted infection or STI. However, this infection, which can lead to severe organ damage and even death if left untreated, can also be transmitted through a blood transfusion. A study published in 2010 in the Society for the Study of Addiction’s journal investigated a possible link between drug-related behaviors among sex workers who worked in U.S.-Mexico border cities based on the hypothesis that because syphilis can be passed in a blood transfusion, it could also be spread by sharing needles. The results showed that drug-using behaviors, such as sharing needles, were more closely associated with having active syphilis than sexual behaviors. The study’s authors said this finding showed the importance of setting up needle exchanges and distributing sterile syringes to female sex workers in an attempt to reduce the spread of syphilis.

 

Can Sharing Needles Cause HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and, if left untreated, can lead to death. It can’t be casually transmitted, meaning it’s not airborne, isn’t passed along in saliva, and can’t be spread through sharing a beverage or shaking hands. Instead, HIV can only be transmitted by coming into direct contact with bodily fluids from someone who has a detectable viral load of this disease. Specifically, the virus can only be spread in semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal and rectal fluids, breast milk, and blood — which is why it’s commonly transmitted through sex. Still, it can also be spread by sharing heroin needles and syringes for intravenous drugs. According to HIV.gov, the two most common ways of spreading HIV in the United States are having unprotected vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV and sharing needles, syringes, and other drug injection equipment with someone who is already infected.

Can You Get Hepatitis From Sharing Needles?

Hepatitis B and C are viral diseases that can be transmitted through sex. Still, like HIV, sharing heroin needles can also easily spread these viruses from an infected person to another user. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the main driver today behind the growing number of hepatitis C infections in the United States is intravenous drug use. People who inject drugs have the highest risk of contracting hepatitis C, and each IV drug user who catches the virus is likely to infect as many as 20 others. In 2014, there were 30,500 new hepatitis C infections in America, and the majority were reported in people who inject drugs. While an effective vaccine now exists for hepatitis B, in 2014, as many as 25% of people who inject drugs were reported to have the virus.

Avoid the Dangers of Heroin Needles by Getting Addiction Treatment at WhiteSands

The dangers of using heroin are bad enough, but the additional risks of sharing heroin needles and syringes make it clear that anyone who is suffering from an addiction to this drug should get professional, effective treatment as soon as possible. Heroin and opioid addiction prevention is an essential effort, as is providing comprehensive, compassionate drug rehab treatment to those who are already addicted and ready to avoid the dangers of heroin use while getting on track to a better future. At our network of drug rehab facilities across Florida, the team at WhiteSands Treatment knows what it takes to break the chains of heroin addiction and leave drug abuse in the past. Take the first step toward the better future you or your loved one deserves by calling us at 877-855-3470 today.

External Sources

• MedlinePlus — Heroin
• National Library of Medicine — Association of Skin Infections with Sharing of Injection Drug Preparation Equipment Among People Who Inject Drugs
• National Library of Medicine — Drug-Related Behaviors Independently Associated with Syphilis Injection Among Female Sex Workers in Two Mexico-U.S. Border Cities
• HIV.gov — How Do You Get or Transmit HIV?
• National Institute on Drug Abuse — Why Does Heroin Use Create Special Risk for Contracting HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C?

 

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.