Snow Blow and HIV 2016

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The ASK campaign is a harm reduction and HIV prevention information campaign developed by HIV Ireland and our partners the Ana Liffey Drug Project.

Launched on Irish AIDS Day, 15th June 2016, in the Mansion House, by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, the campaign aims to help address increasing HIV diagnoses amongst injecting snow blow users in Ireland, with information about safer injecting, safer snorting, and safer sex.

Key messages for people who use snow blow include:

  • ASK…for enough needles, cookers, water for filters.
  • ASK… for safer injecting information.
  • ASK… for a free HIV test.
  • ASK… for free condoms.

Resources include:

More information about the campaign is available at www.drugs.ie/snowblowhiv.

Follow the campaign on Twitter#snowblowHIV.

View/download the campaign Press Release.

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This is an evidence-informed campaign based on increasing HIV diagnoses amongst people who inject drugs.  A 2015 HSE investigation reported that many of these new HIV diagnoses were amongst people using snow blow, with daily snow blow injectors being at highest risk.  Many of the people newly diagnosed reported injecting snow blow, sexual at-risk practices, and a significant amount of people were registered with homeless accommodation services.