List of Resources for People Who Use Drugs

Welcome to the Broadly Epi list of Resources for People Who Use Drugs. Substance use can carry immense challenges, especially in a society where stigma, misinformation, and punitive approaches often stand between individuals and the support they need. This list aims to provide a range of organizations, tools, and information for safer use, and  harm reduction. While we absolutely support those seeking to end their own drug usage and entering into recovery, at this time due to the highly localized nature of peer support groups and care facilities (as well as unique needs of each person seeking care and support), we do not feel it is a responsible choice to pick and choose a few facilities or groups out of literally hundreds.

As with our other Resource Lists, please note that the order of these resources is not an endorsement or ranking; this is simply a collection of what we hope will be useful information. This is a living document that will be updated as we discover new resources or learn of changes to existing ones. Likewise, if we err in including an organization that does more harm than good, please let us know. Every effort has been made to ensure this isn’t the case, but mistakes happen, and correction is appreciated.

As a general piece of advice:

  • Check with your local (state/county) health department for harm reduction programs, free naloxone distribution, or other community-based services. For example, Washington State has a standing order for Naloxone and runs a free Naloxone Distribution Program alongside the People’s Harm Reduction Alliance.
  • Explore library reference desks; librarians often have local resource guides for confidential support, legal guidance, and social services. We say this often on our social media, but Librarians are some of the best public health allies out there. If you work in a library and are reading this, thank you, you’re doing incredible things.
  • If you are seeking healthcare or treatment coverage, your state’s insurance commissioner and Medicaid office can clarify which services might be covered or available at reduced cost.

 You are not alone, and we believe that everyone deserves access to resources that can help them stay as safe and healthy as possible. If you need additional help, we encourage you to explore our other Resource Lists, which include topics like accessing trans-inclusive or LGBTQIA+ healthcare and resources around being able to better afford care. You matter, and it’s our goal to point you towards the support you deserve.

 

Resources for People Who Use Drugs: Testing and Test Kits

Before we begin with the actual resources, it’s worth noting that the legal landscape of test kits is complex. Some states do not identify Test Kits as drug paraphernalia, some allow only the use of test kits to test for Fentanyl, and others still think having people die of drug poisonings is more acceptable than having any level of common sense. The Network for Public Health Law has a fantastic guide, including maps, of the legal status of test kits as of August 2022, but checking your own states policies and acting accordingly is advised. Likewise, it’s worth noting that home test kits are not 100% accurate, not nearly as good as testing in a lab environment, but are leagues better than just trusting whatever is given to you. Speaking of Lab Testing, at time of writing, the two big entities in this space are DrugsData, which is based in the US but has seemingly paused operations since April of last year, and Kykeon Analytics of Spain, who appears to still be active, but cost and turnaround times are unknown. Currently, Kykeon does accept out-of-country samples and does accept cryptocurrency as payment for sake of anonymity. 

 

  • Test Kit Plus: A test kit company who is based out of Montreal, Canada, Test Kit Plus has been active in the home drug testing scene since around 2013. They’ve become a trusted entity in this space, and have partnered with other organizations to help promote harm reduction and safer drug use. Generally, test kits for various drugs range from about $10 to $100 and vary based on amount of drugs tested and the number of tests in a pack, with most closer to $10 to $45. They also provide free testing guides on their website and it appears they do allow for discreet packaging. Please note that while Test Kit Plus does have an affiliate program, Broadly Epi is not part of it. Should that change, we’ll update this text to let you know to ensure total transparency
  • Dance Safe: Another company offering test kits, reagents and guides is Dance Safe, a US Based non-profit that is fairly robust in their harm reduction work. This company has been around since about 1999, and is also well established in both rave and general drug user health scenes. Dance Safe has similar price points to Test Kit Plus, and importantly also seem to have testing kits and strips available for Xylazine (Tranq) which has become a bit of a public health crisis in the past few years. They also have an affiliate program, but again, we’re not part of it and will change this text if that changes.

 

Resources for People Who Use Drugs: Syringe Exchanges and Other Supply Programs

It’s no secret that used needles and other supplies can be a major hazard to health, whether through injury or spread of infectious diseases like Hepatitis C or HIV. Therefore, fresh supplies, either through an exchange or purchase are absolutely critical.

  • NASEN: NASEN (The North American Syringe Exchange Network) is a resource made by some of the first people to create needle exchange programs in the United States. It has a useful map which shows 1:1 needle exchanges, Naloxone Distribution, and more. It should be noted that even the site itself mentions this is not a complete listing of all syringe exchanges or resources, just those that have contacted or worked with NASEN. 
  • ExchangeSupplies : A company based out of the UK, Exchange Supplies offers single use syringes and other key supplies for sale to help improve use safety. Unlike Needle Exchanges, this is a commercial venture, but they do ship worldwide and can be a useful resource if there’s nothing adequate nearby.
  • National Harm Reduction Coalition: While not offering supplies per se, the National Harm Reduction Coalition does have training and guidance on creating Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange Programs, which may be helpful as a mutual aid mission to communities which may otherwise not have access to materials in a safe manner.

 

Resources for People Who Use Drugs: Narcan and Overdose/Drug Poisoning Reversal Resources

 

  • NextDistro: Perhaps the best single resource for finding out about Naloxone distribution in your state, NextDistro provides maps and lists of Narcan resources and other programs.
  • Narcan.com: Provides a map and resources on how to purchase Narcan locally; This can include even getting it in orders with instacart and other food/grocery delivery services.