It is estimated that an individual injecting drug user (IDUs) injects about 1,000 times a year. This adds up to millions of injections, creating an enormous need for reliable sources of sterile syringes. The Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) provides a way for those IDUs who continue to inject to safely dispose of used syringes and to obtain sterile syringes at no cost. The department SEP provides a range of related prevention and care services that are vital to helping IDUs reduce their risks of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne viruses as well as maintain and improve their overall health.

Syringe Exchange offers a 1 for 1 exchange of syringes at offsite locations in an effort to stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis through the use of dirty syringes.

Other Services

• HIV/AIDS education and counseling
• Condom distribution to prevent sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Referrals to substance abuse treatment and other medical and social services
• Distribution of alcohol swabs to help prevent abscesses and other bacterial infections
• On-site HIV testing and counseling and crisis intervention
• Referrals for tuberculosis (TB) screening, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other infections; and
• Primary medical services

Syringe Exchange Schedule