By Michael Arnold
One of the strongest, most publicised messages from AIDS education campaigns has been that if IV drug users do not have their own clean fits, needles and syringes can be cleaned using the 2*water 2*bleach 2*water method.
Recent US evidence, verified by the NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), and released in NUAA News and the National AIDS Bulletin, has put some very disturbing holes in this message.
The research found that hospital strength (5.25%) bleach takes at least 30 seconds to destroy the HIV virus — a much longer time than is allowed for in the old method.
Furthermore, bleach loses its strength when bottled. By the time bleach reaches us on the supermarket shelf, its strength can have dropped to 4% or less. Bleach of this strength will take a much longer time to destroy HIV.
NUAA is urging users to adopt the following four points, from most to least preferable, and urging community groups to adopt them as the focus of their education.
1. New Fit, Safe Hit, No Shit: Always insist on clean needles, water, spoons and swabs when injecting drugs. Stock up on equipment at every opportunity.
2. If you are in an area where it is difficult to obtain clean equipment, keep a supply of your own fits for your use only.
3. If there are no fits available, consider other methods of consuming the drug (smoking, snorting, swallowing, taking as a suppository).
4. As an absolute last resort, if you must share a needle, clean it thoroughly with top-grade hospital strength bleach, shaking for at least 30 seconds. This carries no guarantee of destroying the HIV virus, but it's better than no cleaning at all.
Recent surveys conducted by NUAA indicate that up to 75% of IV drug users living in rural areas clean fits between uses. This fact makes urgent accessible 24-hour needle exchange mechanisms and education programs, particularly in country areas.
It is also crucial that police harassment of users in the vicinity of needle exchanges be stopped, and that all chemists provide needle exchange services at affordable prices.
Anyone wishing to find out more about this evidence, or needing information on needle exchanges, safe injecting or HIV can contact the NSW Users and AIDS Association, 16 Leswell St, Bondi Junction 2022.