Drug Injection - Disadvantages

Disadvantages

In addition to general problems associated with any IV drug administration (see risks of IV therapy) there are some specific problems associated with the informal injection of drugs by non-professionals.

• Increased chance of infection — This is generally a twofold problem.
  • Needle sharing transmits blood-borne diseases between users.
  • Abscessed infections of injection sites are caused by lack of hygiene and a lack of aseptic technique.

• Increased chance of overdose — Because IV injection delivers a dose of drug straight into the bloodstream it is harder to gauge how much to use (as opposed to smoking or snorting where the dose can be increased incrementally until the desired effect is achieved). In addition, because of the rapid onset, overdose can occur very quickly, requiring immediate action.
• Scarring of the peripheral veins — This arises from the use of blunt injecting equipment. This is particularly common with users who have been injecting while in jail and re-use disposable syringes sometimes hundreds of times. IV drug use for an extended period may result in collapsed veins. Though rotating sites and allowing time to heal before reuse may decrease the likelihood of this occurring, collapse of peripheral veins may still occur with prolonged IV drug use. IV drug users are among the most difficult patient populations to obtain blood-specimens from because of peripheral venous scarring. The darkening of the veins due to scarring and toxin buildup produce tracks along the length of the veins and are known as track marks.
• Arterial damage — Arterial pseudoaneurysms may form at injection sites, which can rupture, potentially resulting in hemorrhage, distal ischemia, and gangrene. Inadvertent intra-arterial injection can also result in endarteritis and thrombosis, with ultimately similar consequences.
• Increased chance of addiction — The heightened effect of administering drugs intravenously can make the chances of addiction more likely.
• Social stigma — In many societies there is a social stigma attached to IV drug use, in addition to the more general stigma around illegal drug use and addiction. People who are happy taking drugs by other routes may not inject. This may be because of its perceived prevalence in inner cities and with lower-income people.