People use devices like straws or rolled bills to snort drugs like cocaine. There’s a chance you could get Hep C from using someone else’s straws or bills. This happens because the drug goes up into a person’s nose and can cause his or her nose to bleed and then tiny amounts of blood can get on the straw and end up getting in your nose when you use the straw to sniff your drug. Blood could be on the straw even if you can’t see it.
To protect yourself from Hep C, it’s important to have your own straw when snorting drugs.
The more you use, the bigger the risk because each time you snort, it does more damage inside the nose. Eventually you might get nosebleeds, a runny nose or even wear away the divide between your two nostrils (and end up with one big hole)—all of this will make it easier to get or pass on Hep C.
Equipment
To protect yourself from Hep C, it’s important to have your own straw when snorting or, better yet, use something that can be used once and thrown away, like Post-It notes or a drinking straw from a fast-food restaurant. People don’t throw money away, so don’t use a rolled bill because it might have been up someone else’s nose already and there’s no way to know for sure.
Nasal care
Take care of your nose. Rinse it out by snorting a few drops of warm water after you’ve taken the drug and use lotion with vitamin E to help it heal.
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