The Hgh way code the gude to safer, more enjoyable drug use [] Who developed t? What s t? The frst gude to safer drug use voted for by people who take drugs. How was t was developed? GDS asked loads of people who take drugs, as well as other experts, what strateges they thought would reduce the rsk of harm when takng some commonly used drugs. As part of GDS24, we asked people from around the world who had used those drugs n the last year to vote on these strateges. For each strategy we asked: The guys and gals at Global Drug Survey a nce bunch of smart people who know a bt about drugs and, wth people s help everywhere, wll contnue to learn more and share what they fnd out. Anythng else? Yep follow us on twtter @globaldrusurvy @drugsmeter, lke us on Facebook and check out our free apps the drnks meter: www.drnksmeter.com and the app stores, and the drugs meter: www.drugsmeter.com and google play store. For more nterestng nfo on drugs check out our drugs meter mnutes vdeos on the Global Drug Survey YouTube channel. For suggestons on how to mprove GDS, emal: adam@globaldrugsurvey.com 1. f they usually (.e. more than 5% of the tme) dd t 2. to rate how mportant t s n reducng the rsk of harm ( beng the reducton of rsk) 3. to tell us whether usng that strategy ncreased, decreased or had no effect on the they got from the drug. Know your drug effect, the dose, tme to onset, tme to peak and how long t lasts All drug effects are dose related. Usually the more drugs you take the stronger and longer lastng the effects (and the greater the rsk of harm). Because drug purty and potency vares so much you need to treat every new batch as a new drug. Ths means test dosng each new batch. Knowng how strong your drug s can help you ttrate (adjust/measure) how much you take so hopefully you get the effect you want and avod overdosng. By knowng how long t takes for a drug to come on and how long t lasts, you reduce your rsk of takng too much. People also vary wdely n how they respond to drugs and how much they need to take. Everyone has to fnd ther own rght dose. Not all drugs sut all people so f you get anxous or paranod on a drug don t use t. Remember beng greedy s not good for you. Less s more. Don t ever be worred about callng for an ambulance f you re worred about the state of a mate. desgned by: Off Whte GDS does not condone or promote the use of llegal drugs. GDS does promote the use of common sense when gong about one s daly actvtes. Drugs and alcohol can be very dangerous. They can kll you. Usng drugs when you are young can have a lastng negatve mpact on your cogntve and emotonal well-beng. The only way to avod to these harms s not to take drugs. Ths document represents the vews of those who responded to the GDS. Please note: no amount of plannng and care can ensure you wll have ether a safe or enjoyable experence when you take drugs. GDS s smply reportng the results of the survey whch may provde some gudance n reducng the rsk of harm only. The best way to avod drug related harm s to not use drugs.
ntroducng the GDS Hgh Way Code GDS knows drves drug use, not the avodance of harm. As far as we know no gude has ever outlned the mpact of harm reducton strateges on the users obtan from drugs... untl now global drug survey Ours s a smple premse: as wth drvng, there are thngs you need to know and rules you should observe n order to get you to your destnaton safely. Beng aware of these makes you much more lkely to get to your planned destnaton n one pece and much less lkely to cause harm to anyone around you. Please share these fndngs, they really are mportant. www.globaldrugsurvey.com over 85 users Usual dose Tme to onset Tme to peak Duraton of acton Although G preparatons vary n potency, typcal dose, speed to onset and duraton of effect Global Drug Survey s treatng /GBL/1,4 butanedol as a sngle drug, collectvely referred to as G or n ths part of the Hgh way Code. 1 2 mls (taken orally) 5 mn 15 3 mn 2 4 hrs Ths number ndcates the percentage of people who told GDS they usually follow the strategy. Ths dal tells you how mportant users thought ths strategy was n reducng the rsk of harm. xx.x% How to read the Hgh way code 2 3 4 5 x.x 6 drug name Reducng rsk from 7 8 9 x.x% xx.x% xx.x% Pleasure mpact rated by users Here you can check how many users thought ths strategy ncreased, decreased or ddn t affect ther. ghb mportance n reducng rsk 8.9 8.8 8.5 7.2 7.1 6.9 mpact on Percentage of users who usually... 85% 7% 92% 32% 45% 81% 56% 4% 74% 2% Use pre-measured doses Avod alcohol Watch frends Tme doses Test dose from new batch Tell someone plannng to take Set lmt on amount used Avod stmulants Use for less than 2 days n a row Wrte G on wrst 2
85% 1 use Pre-Measured doses Use a ppette/ use Pre-measured doses syrnge/eye dropper or pre-measured doses when you use mn mportance n reducng rsk 5% 43% 52% mpact on 1 Every drop counts. G s such a potent drug. There s a tny dfference between a dose that gets you hgh and horny and one that causes you to pass out. A dfference of.5mls can have a huge mpact on effect (and rsk). Because t s a solvent G can erase the markngs on plastc syrnges so glass eye droppers or pre flled capsules are best. Lttle soy fshes half-flled contan about 1.5mls-2mls. 2 avod alcohol 2 Avod Alcohol Totally avod drnkng any alcohol when you use G 7% mn mportance n reducng rsk 7% 45% 48% mpact on Alcohol and G = OD. Whle mxng G wth alcohol may enhance some of the effects of G t massvely ncreases the rsks of OD. t can delay the amount of tme G takes to kck n and so can also make safer dosng more dffcult. Alcohol s a very dangerous mxer for G. Stck to water or juce! 3 watch frends 3 Watch frends who have taken g Keep any eye on frends who have also taken G 92% mn 8.9 mportance n reducng rsk 17% 53% 3% mpact on You can keep your mates safe. Common sense and beng a mate don t need an explanaton. Mates wll spot a frend n trouble wth drugs before anyone else so f you are worred, do as most of you do and look out for mates. Cheap, smple and so very mportant. f someone becomes unconscous on G put them n the recovery poston and call the paramedcs. 4 tme doses 4 tme doses Set a remnder (e.g on phone or watch) to tell you when t s safe to take another dose of 32% mn 8.8 mportance n reducng rsk 8% 46% 46% mpact on Every mnute counts. G does not last very long but effects and the rsk of passng out can ncrease f you dose too often. Makng sure you leave a good gap (at least 9 12 mnutes) between doses can help reduce the rsk of over dosng on G. Because G mpacts on your memory and percepton of tme, tmng each dose can be dffcult. Settng an alarm to the mnmum safe tme between doses can help reduce your rsk of needng a wakeup call n the Emergency Room. 3
5 test dose from new batch 5 test dose from new batch Test dose a new batch by usng less than.5 ml and watng for at least 6 mn before re-dosng 45% mn 8.5 mportance n reducng rsk 12% 55% 33% mpact on Every drop s not the same. Taken orally the effects of G come on quckly, peakng wthn 15mnutes. Because each batch of G may be slghtly dfferent n strength and what t contans you are safest checkng each new batch by a takng a smaller dose than usual and then watng for at least 6 mnutes before takng another dose. Knowng how strong your drug s can help you ttrate (adjust/measure) your dose so hopefully you get the effect you want and not end your evenng before t has begun. 6 tell someone plannng to take 6 Tell a frend you re plannng on takng g Make sure you let a frend know that you are plannng to take 81% mn mportance n reducng rsk 4% 63% 33% mpact on Your mates can keep you safe. Lettng someone know what you re plannng to take can help them keep an eye out for warnng sgns that you ve overdone t e.g the G wobble, twtch, walk, slur, dance, nod, slouch and drbble. They can get you somewhere safe before you drop off or fnd yourself vulnerable to others. 56% 7 set lmt on amount used mn mportance n reducng rsk % 58% 32.% mpact on 7 set lmt on amount used Set a lmt for how much G you wll use on a day you use When enough s enough. Snce most drug related harms are dose related, settng a lmt for how much G you use on a day (we don t khow much s safe) mght help you keep your use under control and reduce your rsk of developng tolerance and other G related harms. Try to stck to less than 15 2mls/day. Above that dose, you re veerng nto the doses where people start developng physcal dependence and wthdrawal (f used over several weeks). More s less as they say. 8 avod stmulants 8 avod stmulants Avod takng stmulant drugs when you use 4% mn 7.2 mportance n reducng rsk 14% 6% 26% mpact on G best enjoyed on ts own. Mxng drugs can be fun. But n most cases mxng leads to an ncreased rsk of harm and drug consumpton. Addng stmulant drugs to a G sesson keeps you awake longer so you can use more G. Mxed together though you ncrease your rsk of paranoa, hallucnatons and aggresson. 4
9 use for less than 2 days n a row 9 use for less than 2 days n a row Avod usng for more than 2 days n a row 74% mn 7.1 mportance n reducng rsk 7% 65% 28% mpact on A weekend s just 2 days long. People can buld up tolerance to the effects of G very quckly, even wthn a few days. Whle regular use and the buld-up of tolerance wth some drugs can reduce your rsk of overdose on that drug, that s not the case wth G. t can take as lttle as a week or two to become physcally dependent on G. Ths means f you stop takng t you mght go nto wthdrawal and rsk experencng really serous health problems. So f you want to avod developng a physcal dependency and the rsk of really dangerous wthdrawal don t use for more than 2 days n a row. wrte g on wrst wrte g on wrst Wrte the letter G on your wrst when you take 2% mn 6.9 mportance n reducng rsk % 8% 2% mpact on Make t easy for others to help. f you pass out and are found unconscous by someone, other than puttng you n the recovery poston, t can help them and paramedcs tme to know what you have taken. Havng a letter G wrtten on your wrst can help them. f you get stopped by the polce just say t s a remnder to call Gary! 5