Department of Health Services

Injection drug use and sharing syringes or other injection equipment increase the spread of blood-borne diseases. Individuals who are actively using injection drugs are more likely to share syringes if they do not have access to clean ones. When this happens, HIV and hepatitis B and C spread rapidly, not just to the drug users, but also to their sexual partners. Studies have found that offering an accessible alternative to needle sharing will help reduce the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C among this population.

California Assembly Bill 1743 (Ting, Chapter 331, Statutes of 2014) permits physicians and pharmacists in California to furnish or sell syringes without a prescription to adults 18 years of age or older for disease prevention purposes. Participating pharmacies must provide a means for safe syringe disposal as well as information on how to access drug treatment, access HIV and hepatitis testing and treatment, and safely dispose of sharps waste. Participation is optional and the best way to find out if a particular pharmacy provides non-prescription sale of syringes (NPSS) is to contact them directly. A list of pharmacies known to offer NPSS in Sacramento County is listed below.

Pharmacies with NPSS as of 12/11/2017

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