The United Kingdom finds itself at odds with a new boom in the usage of dangerous cosmetic drugs. People using cosmetic drugs such as Melanotan and Steroids are now outnumbering crack cocaine and methamphetamine addicts.

Alistair Ramsay, who runs Drugwise Needle Exchange in Scotland, explains: “Needle-sharing among bodybuilders has been a problem for some time. It’s often the case with people using steroids that they’ll start out with someone else’s needle. And because needle exchanges usually operate a one-for-one swap, only then will they be given clean injecting equipment” (Herbert)

However, the use of the newer cosmetic drug Melanotan creates new problems. The drug is a tanning aid that makes skin appear darker. “With the tanning drugs being relatively new, we do not know what the long-term effects will be,” says Ramsay. Many health officials say, “cosmetic drug injectors run the same risks of catching HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis C as heroin and cocaine addicts.” Recently, the drug skyrocketed in popularity, but this rise results in a rise in addicts collecting free syringes from needle exchanges.

Government programs are not sure if they have the capability to provide the amount of needles that are in demand. “A recent NHS study found that more than half of Scotland’s needle exchange agencies and pharmacies are regularly visited by the injectors of cosmetic drugs– in some places making up 20 per cent” (Herbert). As of now, Scotland’s government is attempting to create new needle exchange guidelines, but struggles because most users of cosmetic drugs are often in employment.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/177474/Needle-exchanges-for-tan-addicts

Blog post written by Kelsey Wilkins