I recently picked up heroin but I only snort it, as I hate needles and don't want a nasty disease. Regardless I recently came across this study where they took roughly 300 people that said they used heroin but we're non-injecting users and found that 4.7% we're infected with HCV (Hepatitis C Virus). And I'm kind of confused about this, The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among noninjecting drug users has been reported to be higher than in the general population... They also came to the conclusion that the risk seemed to higher among those that snorted heroin along with cocaine at the same time. The study can't explain these observations and I was wondering if anyone can give me some insight on how non-injecting heroin users would be contracting HCV?

Here's the link to the study (It's french but all the pertinent information is in english):
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14830059

Could these people have gotten from unprotected sex or just did they just happen to grab some people who were already infected with HCV before they started using heroin?

I recently picked up heroin but I only snort it, as I hate needles and don't want a nasty disease. Regardless I recently came across this study where they took roughly 300 people that said they used heroin but we're non-injecting users and found that 4.7% we're infected with HCV (Hepatitis C Virus). And I'm kind of confused about this, They also came to the conclusion that the risk seemed to higher among those that snorted heroin along with cocaine at the same time. The study can't explain these observations and I was wondering if anyone can give me some insight on how non-injecting heroin users would be contracting HCV?

Here's the link to the study (It's french but all the pertinent information is in english):
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14830059

Could these people have gotten from unprotected sex or just did they just happen to grab some people who were already infected with HCV before they started using heroin?

maybe sharing snorting tubes? idk what they are called but they can get bloody.

Noone else :?

people who snort heroin engage in overall more risky behavior than those who dont. people who do speed balls enguage in even more risky behavior than people who just snort heroin. people who engage in risky behaviors are more likely to contract HCV.

for the 3rd time in the last 24 hours:

CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION!!!

When you snort drugs, sometimes blood passes onto the straw. Therefore when snorting drugs, ALWAYS use your own straw and throw it out afterwards!!!!!!!!!!! Sharing straws is a tried and true way of transmitting hep C and HIV.

The more you know.....
_________________
--KP

Banknotes as well; if you're using a note to snort it may have been used by someone weeks ago to snort as well. I'm pretty sure that viruses can stay active for a while out of the body. All it takes is for one virus to get into one ruptured blood vessel.

This is exactly how I contracted HCV, I never used IV, only snorted and unless one of the tattoo shops I went to gave it to me (Which I doubt since their regulations are much updated from the past and all the equipment they use is one time use and sterile, proved by opening the package(s) in front of you).

Either way, I was told that yes, blood can travel from straw to straw or dollar to dollar and it can be such a small amount, that it's invisible to the human eye. And also I would think that this is happening a lot more often than we think, because think about it, people who insufflate drugs are probably at least 3 or 4 (Or more) times more likely to have a nose bleed than someone who doesn't shove things up there nose and snort them.

I would almost think that people who snort drugs with dollars and other money are at even more risk than those who use needles. Why? Well do you know how many fucking nasty ass germs and viruses (Both dead and alive) are on money? It's one of the absolute dirtiest things in this world today. Then look at a sterile, one-time use needle. As long as you know what the fuck your doing and sterilize everything else, including the injection site, there should be almost no risk of contracting disease (As long as you use the needle for only one person and use it only once, throwing it away afterward).

So I would conclude that I think people who share straws or money are at a higher risk than those who use needles in the way described above. Although, some may think that's not comparing apples to apples because I'm comparing people sharing straws/money but not sharing needles, but even if you compare one who's using money to snort, to one that is using a needle and not sharing it, the money still has much more germs and viruses on it, and I don't think I'll ever use money or share anything with anyone to snort anything again.

ONE.

Is it also possible that you could get diseases from the drugs themselves? Coke and H in particular-they've most likely been stomped at least 2-3 times before getting to you, and I don't think drug dealers have hygiene as their main concern. This is why I don't understand the cold-shot thing for coke. Surely you want to heat it up to kill off any bacteria?

THATS WHY U USE A ROLLED UP DOLLAR BILL YALLLL

jk who knows where thats been....but seriously who here hasn't done that?

Is it also possible that you could get diseases from the drugs themselves?

This is what I'm most concerned with. But I'll make a note to never snort anything with a dollar bill every again.