PIPE SMOKERS

DO’S AND DON’TS

l Don’t use plastic bottles or can’s, think about

switching to glass or metal pipes, to avoid inhaling
ash, dust or water into the lungs. Also it’s easier
to smoke or scrape out the last smidgen.
l Do use your own pipe and never share pipes,
to avoid virus transmission i.e. Tuberculosis &
Hepatitis. Plus individualize your pipe to avoid
getting equipment mixed up. Paint, scratch or
burn your initials on.

l Do use glass pipes that can be purchased in some

Head/tobacco shops. Or use Pyrex Stems –
compared to conventional glass, they are stronger
and less likely to break.

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l Always carry your own insulated mouthpiece (a four-
inch rubber tube) or a thick rubber band that can be l Touch flame to shooter quickly instead of leaving it
wrapped around the smoking end of the pipe. This will there, move fire along shooter to spread out heat.
prevent exposure to broken or hot pipes and protect
your lips. l Do let pipe cool down before taking next hit, to prevent
cuts, burns to lips and hands.

l If you have a cut or burns do not share a pipe with

anyone.

l Remember you can use a new condom for blow back

smoke that has already been inhaled, simply un-roll the
condom then once you take your hit blow the smoke
into the condom and seal it as you would a balloon.
This smoke can then be re-inhaled later.

l Do use a Wooden push stick (Coffee stir sticks from

newsagents, chop sticks, wooden BBQ skewers, long
safety match) used to position the filter or copper screen
inside of stem. Wooden push stick won’t chip the pipe.

l Do use Alcohol swabs to clean equipment i.e. pipes,

mouthpiece.

l If glass pipes are not available, adapt a miniature spirit

bottle that has a dimple in the end, in which a hole is
made. A metal tube such as a car aerial is placed in the
neck of the bottle, copper wire is placed in the exposed
end of the tube and crack is placed on copper wire. ALL MATERIALS FOUND IN IRELAND

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 l Only use needles once and make sure you get enough
Injectors / Speedball equipment to last you between visits to your needle
Not Recommended exchange.
High Risk of Overdose
l Identify your equipment
l Don’t inject alone. Overdose is most linked to to avoid getting them
injecting, so always use in a group where mixed up (colour caps)
others can watch for signs of overdose.
l Always use sterile water
l Ensure you have sufficient amounts of injecting and clean filters.
equipment “One kit for every hit” Inform/explain
to your Needle Exchange staff your drug of choice. l Always dispose of your works safely. Return
syringes, barrels and spikes and ask for a sharps bin
l Do rotate injecting sights; give your veins a chance (sin bin) when you are in local needle exchange.
to heal.
“Try and Switch to
l Injecting cocaine anaesthetise/numbs the injecting non-iV use such as
sight leading to tissue damage and increased risk of
abscesses from missing the vein. So you’re less likely
FOIL SMOKING
to respond to pain from damaged veins, abscesses etc. (CHASERS)”
l Make sure that the foil you are using is uncoated
l Missed hits will leave a lump. If lump doesn’t go aluminium; you can get it in your needle exchange.
away or gets worse, see a doctor. High Risk of If not burn foil before placing crack on it.
Deep Vein Thrombosis from Groin injecting.
l Break up the rock a little before burning and don’t put
l Use as little citric acid as possible, too much will too much in the foil.
damage veins.
l Do use new foil for every use.
l Do wash hands before you inject plus use swabs.
l Don’t share your tooters
l Do understand that Hepatitis and HIV can and are
spread by sharing equipment. Personalise and individualise your own kit
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 Overdose
Look after people who have overdosed in the same
way you would want them to look after you
l Overdoses on crack/cocaine are more likely to lead to
heart attack or fits. So while your waiting for the The Recovery Postion
Ambulance. What you should do depends on their
appearance and behaviour. Put the right hand by the head
(as if they were waving)
l First Always Call an Ambulance

l If they are overheating: cool them down by removing

outer clothing and fanning them. Don’t give them anything
to drink or eat.
Put the left arm across the chest,
so that the back of the hand rests
Call an Ambulance
against the chest.
l If they are fitting: prevent them from hurting themselves.

Call an Ambulance

l If they have chest pain: sit them up. Hold the hand in place and lift up
the left knee.
Call an Ambulance

l If they can’t be woken (by poking them on chest and

calling their name) or their face or lips turn blue or they
have trouble breathing.

Call an Ambulance Turn them on their side by

Always put a collapsed, unconscious person in the pushing down on their knee.
recovery position.

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 Don’t Forget ‘Fraggle Rocked’
your Mental
How to
Health “If in a
Crack use has both long and short stay
jock
term effects on your mental well sane
being. It is important to remember STOP the
this so you know you are not going in the
ROCK”
mad you have just been doing game
TOO MUCH CRACK.

l Nervousness, suspicion and paranoia.

Curbing the Crash
l Anxiety, depression and irritability. l Always plan the session and do it in a quite setting with
people you feel comfortable with.
l Completely wrecked/exhausted.
l Smoke your pipe in quiet surroundings, you’ll enjoy it
l Compulsive Behaviour. more and the crash is less.
(SUCH AS PICKING AT THE SKIN)
l Smoke several small pipes instead of one big one, the
l Suicidal thoughts. effect goes down after the first hit so why waste your
money?
l Aggression and moodiness.
l Try and chill out if you have taken something to ease the
l Seek immediate help from your doctor, community come down. Some downers take up to half an hour to
drug team as soon as possible kick in so take them before you do your last pipe.

Crack Cocaine can result in the whole range of psycho- l In the worst event the ‘comedown/crash’ will be over in
logical and psychiatric problems. It can cause change in 45 to 60 minutes. Once through that period, things will
mood and behaviours. It can also exacerbate an feel much better
under-lying psychiatric problem.

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How can I reduce the Harm? MONEY
Drink plenty of Fluids, Juice, Water, energy drinks; drink MANAGEMENT
non-alcoholic fluids whenever you can.
Spending all your money on crack cocaine?,
EAT-EAT-EAT before using you never know when you’ll eat
try some of these practical solutions.
again. Nutrition is important.
l To avoid spending all your money on a
Take a vitamin. Extra vitamin C is a plus!
weekend binge why not put some money
in an envelope and post it to yourself on
Take care of your veins. Always rotate your injecting sight;
Friday it will be back to you on Monday.
also use an anti septic ointment on the sight.
l Ask family members to hold some money
Get help if you have painful, swollen and or dead leg. It
for you.
may be DVD (Deep Venous Thrombosis).
l Don’t bring all your money with you when
Avoiding mixing with other drugs, including medication and
you go to score.
alcohol.
l Remember you can take control of the
Use in a safe environment with people you trust.
amount you use.
Have something to “play with in your hands” to avoid
l Calculate how much you spend in a week,
compulsive skin picking.
month and then a year. Would it be enough
to buy a bike, car or a house?
Chew gum to stop chewing the insides of the mouth or
grinding teeth.
“Remember dealers make
Mind your lips, use lip balm.
money when
Always use a condom to practice safe sex, oral, vaginal users lose
and anal. As Hep C and HIV can be spread via cuts and
burns on the lips and mouth.
control”.
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 The effects and dangers of Crack/Cocaine & Alcohol
crack/cocaine l When alcohol is used with crack or in order to curb
the side effects of crack use (The Crash) the two
Short Term drugs combine in the liver to form a new substance
Increased energy & alertness Increased sex drive coca-ethylene. This is very toxic to the liver and this
Risk taking behaviour Recurring chest infections is a longer acting substance that places far more
False sense of confidence Euphoria strain on the heart.
Decreased need for sleep Compulsive behaviour
l There is increased risk of overdose when combining
Long Term drugs in this manner.
Nervousness & suspicion Compulsive behaviour l There is also increased tendency towards violent
Chronic bronchitis Headaches Anxiety Depression behaviour when the two drugs (Cocaine & Alcohol)
Suicidal thoughts Heart attacks Physical exhaustion are combined.
Sweating Hallucinations Teeth grinding Irritability
Asthma Strokes & involuntary body movements
H.I.V (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. It is
Aggression & Moodiness Loss of sex drive
passed through body fluids (Blood, Semen, Vaginal Fluids,
Breathing difficulties Kidney & Liver problems
and Breast Milk) transmitted via unprotected sex, vaginal,
Tuberculosis anal and oral. Blood to blood contact, through sharing
l If smoking indoors, make sure window or door is open. contaminated injecting equipment and blood transfusions,
Mother to Child, in the womb, during birth, breast feeding.
l Rooms with no fresh air are risky for TB. (On the rise)

l Cover your mouth when coughing and ask others to do Hepatitis B and C
the same. Hepatitis B and C are viral infection that affects the liver.
Hepatitis B is transmitted through sexual contact, mother
l If having problems breathing or coughing up blood, to child at birth, sharing drug injecting/snorting equipment
slow down or stop smoking. See a doctor if it continues. and blood to blood contact and bodily fluids.

l Signs of TB: Fever, Tiredness, Weight loss, Chest pain,

Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood to blood contact
i.e. sharing injecting/snorting equipment.
Coughing a lot, Coughing Blood or phlegm.
Sexually – blood needs to be present.

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H.I.V. / S.T.I and Hepatitis Useful Numbers
Testing Cocaine Anonymous, PH: 087 317 4989
The Guide Clinic, St James Hospital, Dublin
Narcotics Anonymous PH: 086 8629308
PH: 01 4162315
Ana Liffey Drug Project, 48 Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1.
The Mater Hospital, Dublin, PH: 01 8032063
PH: 878 6899
The Well Women Clinic, Dublin, PH: 01 8728051
Saol Project, 58 Amien St, Dublin 1.
PH: 8553391
CHRYSALIS COMMUNITY DRUG PROJECT,
Merchants Quay Ireland, 4 Merchants Quay, D 8.
DUBLIN 7
PH: 679 0044
PH: 6705544
WWW.CHRYSALISDRUGPROJECT.ORG
Fast (Finglas Addiction Support Team) St Helena’s
Resource Centre, St Helena’s Rd, Finglas.
Needle Exchange Times PH: 811 0595
Merchants Quay Project, D 8.
Mon – Fri = 10-12:45pm / 1:45- 4:30pm Dublin Aids Alliance, 53 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1.
PH: 873 3799
Summerhill Health Centre, 90 Summerhill, D1.
Tues = 2:15 – 4:30pm Community Response, 14 Carmen’s Hall, Dublin 8.
PH: 4536615
North Strand Health Centre, North Strand, D 1.
Fri = 2:15 – 4:30pm
St Vincent’s Psychiatric Hospital, Richmond Rd,
Clancy Night Shelter (Residents Only) Fairview, Dublin 3. PH: 8842 01
Tues = 7 - 8:30 / Fri 7 – 9:30pm
UISCE Union for Improved Services, Communication and
Dublin Simon, Emergency Out of Hours Needle Exchange, Education. 53 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1.
Mon-Fri = 5pm – 10:30 Sat-Sun = 4pm – 10:30 PH: 8720185 PH: 873 3799

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 fancy changing your crack use?
try using a drug diary
A Drug Diary is a great way for you and your
Key Worker to discuss your crack use. How much Crack do you use daily or weekly?
So, why not keep tabs on how much you How much cash is spent on crack?
really use by keeping a Drug Diary?

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

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