While analysing the data provided in the national drug report (Luxembourg), we have discovered that the highest number of distributed needles is 437.946 in 2017 and that a similarly high number was reached in 2004 with 435.078 distributed syringes. It is not clear what caused the downward trend of distributed syringes in the years 2004 - 2008.
Some people died, other did not care if they used an unclean needle or they cooked the needle.
My research has shown that one of the factors is the quality of heroin being sold on the black market. When the quality of the product becomes insufficient to reach the desired effect when inhaled/smoked, drug users switch to intravenous administration of the substance.
The quality of the products being sold on the black market may be linked to the effective implementation of repressive police strategies. More control would mean higher risk for importing high quality product.
Joanne E.L. VanDerNagel Thank you for your answer. To clarify : Does an increase in stigmatisation of i.v. use lead to a decline in number of i.v. use ? Are we talking about stigmatisation in the general populace, or stigmatisation among drug users ? If so, should stigmatisation be pushed as a means to decrease i.v. use ?
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