Injection Drug Use

IDU Outreach | Syringe Access | Syringe Access Locations Map | Substance Abuse & HIV

What is MAP's Injection Drug Use Outreach?

Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, injection drug use (IDU) has accounted for a significant number of HIV infections. In Minnesota, injection drug use is an associated risk factor for 16 percent of all people known to be living with HIV. This figure includes people who inject drugs and people who are sexually active with someone who injects drugs. Sharing of syringes and drug injection equipment (cookers, cottons, tourniquets, etc) makes it easy for HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) to be passed from one person to another. Since 1995, MAP has operated a mobile syringe exchange program to educate drug users and increase their access to clean syringes and works. If you inject drugs or are sexually active with someone who injects drugs, you could be at risk for contracting HIV or HCV.

MAP’s outreach to injection drug users includes condom distribution and supplies for safer sex, HIV risk reduction education, HIV counseling, testing and referral, connection to HIV medical care and services for individuals living with HIV, skills building and support groups, access to substance abuse treatment, and a full array of syringe exchange services. These services are offered at fixed sites in Minneapolis and St. Paul and by appointment. Staff are constantly assessing new locations for fixed sites to better meet injection drug user needs.

Contact the MAP AIDSLine to learn more about how to protect yourself, to find out which pharmacies are participating in the pharmacy syringe access initiative, to find out how to reach MAP’s syringe exchange program for clean syringes, works, sharps containers, and safer sex supplies, and to get resources and information ranging from drug abuse treatment to HIV care.

Contact Info

MAP AIDSLine
612–373–AIDS(2437) Metro
1–800–248–AIDS(2437) Statewide
612–373–2465 Metro TTY
1–888–820–2437 Statewide TTY

AIDSLine Online Chat

IDU Resources & Publications

AIDSLine Brief: Substance Abuse and HIV Edition, September 2000
The entire issue of this AIDSLine Brief is devoted to the issue of substance abuse and HIV. Below are the included articles:

• Harm Reduction: Does It Work?
• The Role Between Substance Use & HIV Infection
• I Live With HIV & Chemical Dependency
• MSM/IDUs: Poorly Understood & Underserved
• Sex + Drugs + Youth = High Risk
• Recreational Drugs and Protease Inhibitors: A Good Mix?

Linking HIV and Substance Abuse - Prevention Works For Women, April 2000
Injection drug use directly and indirectly has played a significant role in the transmission of HIV in women. The articles discusses substance abuse and women and features an interview with Sue Purchase, one of the founders of Women with A Point, now known as AccessWorks!.

Substance Use Raises Risk in African-American Communities, March 2000
For the African-American community in Minnesota, the connection between injection drug use, crack-cocaine use and HIV transmission is significant. This article discusses substance use in the African-American community and features Don Anderson, founder of WU-WA (Wake Up-We're Affected).

INTERNET RESOURCES

Harm Reduction Coaltion
The Harm Reduction Coalition (HRC) is committed to reducing drug-related harm among individuals and communities by initiating and promoting local, regional, and national harm reduction education, interventions, and community organizing.

Chicago Recovery Alliance - Any Positive Change
This site contains valuable harm reduction information and downloadable documents and educational materials. Click on

NASEN
The North American Syringe Exchange Network is dedicated to the creation, expansion and continued existence of syringe exchange programs as a proven method of stopping the transmission of blood borne pathogens in the injecting drug using community.

Atlanta Harm Reduction Center
The Atlanta Harm Reduction Center is a street outreach program dedicated to impacting and empowering drug users in the fight against HIV, other infectious disease and stigma.

DanceSafe
DanceSafeis a nonprofit, harm reduction organization promoting health and safety within the rave and nightclub community. It has good, non-judgmental information on a number of street drugs.

Back to top

Click here to get Adobe Acrobat

Some documents above are available for download in Adobe PDF format. These forms can be viewed and printed from your computer using the freely available Acrobat Software from Adobe Systems, Inc.

Last Updated: Thursday, October 8, 2009
Questions about our Web site? Email webmaster@mnaidsproject.org

Content Notice: This site contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. Since HIV infection is spread primarily though sexual practices or by sharing needles, prevention messages and programs may address these topics. If you are not seeking such information or materials, please exit this Web site.