To protect yourself from infection, never re-use any equipment for injecting drugs. Even if you re-use your own syringes, clean them thoroughly between times. Cleaning is only partly effective. In some communities, needle exchange programs provide free, new syringes. These programs reduce the rate of new HIV infections.
Drug use can lead to missed doses of anti-HIV medications.
This increases the chances of treatment failure and resistance to medications. Mixing recreational drugs and anti-HIV medications can be dangerous. Drug interactions can cause serious side effects or dangerous overdoses.