Abstract
Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are designed to provide a way for individuals who inject drugs intravenously to exchange their used syringes for new, sterile ones. They also provide safe disposal of used syringes. Because syringes are not always easy to obtain (i.e., a prescription may be required in some states), the practice of sharing needles and syringes among injection drug users (IDUs) is common, and the sharing of syringes greatly increases the chances of contracting and transmitting HIV. In fact, injection drug use and HIV are explicitly connected and injection drug use is considered one of the highest risk activities contributing to the spread of HIV.
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Rausa, B. (2013). Syringe Exchange. In: Loue, S. (eds) Mental Health Practitioner's Guide to HIV/AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5283-6_87
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5283-6_87
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