If you use drugs, we help you stay safe. Our service is free, easy, private and hassle-free.
If you don't know us yet, here are some important things to know about who we are and how we work.
Here's how our service works. It's a quick and simple process. To begin, all you have to do is visit one of our locations. Find the nearest location here.
Come see us. You can choose any location. Check hours first to see when it's open. You don't need to call ahead. You won't need money or an ID.
Meet privately. Call our service navigator to discuss your needs. On your first call, they will ask a few questions to understand you better. They can help you access resources we don't provide in house, like housing assistance or access to treatment services.
Receive what you need, including sterile works and other supplies. You can also get naloxone, and wound and vein care from our expert staff.
Get help to find other services, if you want them - like food, shelter, or medical care. We can connect you with good providers.
That's it! It's that simple. You can come as often as you need to. It's always free - there's never any charge.
We have one office location, and four mobile van locations. You don't need to call ahead, but do check hours first. We are open only at certain times.
East Liberty
5913 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Open every Sunday
12:00pm-3:00pm
Perry Hilltop
Find white van at intersection of N. Charles St. and Perrysville Ave.
Open every Tuesday
1:00pm-4:00pm
Hill District
Find white van at intersection of Bentley Dr. and Kirkpatrick St.
Open every Wednesday
1:00pm-4:00pm
Carrick / Overbrook
Find white van in parking lot behind Fairhaven United Methodist Church
2415 Saw Mill Run Blvd
Open every Thursday
12:00pm-3:00pm
Homewood
Find white van in parking lot of House of Manna at 7240 Frankstown Ave
Open every Friday
1:00pm-4:00pm
We provide an assortment of supplies to help you use drugs more safely. All supplies are free of charge. We encourage you to take as much as you need.
Sterile Syringes in different sizes to fit your needs
Ties to help you bring veins to the surface
Alcohol Wipes to clean your injection site and help prevent infection
Cookers to safely heat and liquefy drugs for injection
Sterifilt filters + Dental Cottons for screening out harmful particles from drugs when injecting
Sterile Water to dissolve drugs and prevent injecting bacteria from unsafe water sources
Saline to dissolve drugs
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) to breakdown crack or black tar heroin to a liquid for injecting
Sharps containers to safely dispose of used syringes
Fentanyl + Xylazine Test Strips to see if your drugs contain fentanyl or xylazine
Mouthpieces to prevent lip burns and to prevent spread of bacteria when sharing pipes
Screens to prevent inhaling your drugs
Chore to prevent inhaling your drugs
Pyrex Meth Pipe to prevent pipe from shattering
Chopsticks to help position screens or chore
Pyrex Crack Pipe to prevent pipe from shattering
Mini Spoon to scoop up drugs without using hands
Straws in different colors to make sure everyone has their own straw for snorting
Plastic Razor to safely cut up and divide drugs.
Naloxone (injectable or NARCAN Nasal Spray) to prevent overdose
PPP has six sizes of syringes that we distribute, including an intramuscular size. Our site staff will help you find what best fits your needs. Our supplies are free and available to anyone, be it for safer drug use, hormone injecting, or syringes for insulin shots. Our program is also anonymous, and no identification is required for any harm reduction supplies.
Sterile Syringes in different sizes to fit your needs
Ties to help you bring veins to the surface
Bleach to clean off surfaces and clean syringes in case of emergency reuse
Alcohol Wipes to clean your injection site and help prevent infection
Cookers to safely heat and liquefy drugs for injection
Sterifilt filters for screening out harmful particles from drugs when injecting
Sterile Water to dissolve drugs and prevent injecting bacteria from unsafe water sources
Saline to dissolve drugs
Dental Cottons for screening out harmful particles from drugs when injecting
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) to breakdown crack or black tar heroin to a liquid for injecting
Sharps containers to safely dispose of used syringes
Fentanyl Test Strips to see if your drugs contain fentanyl
Naloxone (injectable or NARCAN Nasal Spray) to prevent overdose
PPP carries pyrex meth and crack pipes that are durable to prevent any blistered lips or broken glass. We also distribute chore, screens, mouth covers, and pusher sticks. Our snorter kit includes different colored straws, a pvc card, plastic razor, small spoon, and an alcohol pad to help keep you safe. We also have small vials of saline (not included in the kit) that you can ask for to help prevent nostril damage due to snorting. Remember to get Narcan/naloxone and fentanyl test strips even if you aren’t using heroin/other opioids. Fentanyl is being found in crack, coke, and pressed pills, and we want you to stay safe.
Alcohol Wipes to clean your injection site and help prevent infection
Fentanyl Test Strips to see if your drugs contain fentanyl
Mouthpieces to prevent lip burns and to prevent spread of bacteria when sharing pipes
Screens to prevent inhaling your drugs
Chore to prevent inhaling your drugs
Pyrex Meth Pipe to prevent pipe from shattering
Chopsticks to help position screens or chore
Pyrex Crack Pipe to prevent pipe from shattering
Mini Spoon to scoop up drugs without using hands
PVC Card to divide up drugs on a clean surface
Straws in different colors to make sure everyone has their own straw for snorting
Plastic Razor to safely cut up and divide drugs.
Naloxone (injectable or NARCAN Nasal Spray) to prevent overdose
Here are eight things we've learned about injecting drugs that can help you avoid overdose, infections, and disease.
Don't inject alone
Choose a location where others can find you if you overdose. Even better, inject where people can use naloxone to save you from an overdose. Have to use alone? Contact Never Use Alone by calling (877) 696-1996 so help can get to you in case of overdose.
Have naloxone
Don't count on others to have naloxone - always have your own. Keep naloxone in plain sight in case you OD, so that others can use it to save.
Use new, sterile stuff
Use a brand new needle, cotton, cooker and clean water every time you inject. Keep your stuff separate from other people's, so you can be sure.
Clean your skin
Before injecting, wash your hands and clean the injection site with soap and water. If you can't use soap and water, wipe aware dirt and germs with alcohol wipes.
Prepare a test shot
Just inject part of the bag to see what you've got. You can always inject more later.
Pick a safe injection site
Avoid injecting into legs, feet, groin, neck, or places where veins come together. You're more likely to damage the vein, hit an artery or nerve, or start an infection.
Filter your shot
Always use a clean dental cotton or Steri-Filt filter to draw up the shot. This helps keep dangerous particles from getting in your bloodstream.
Shoot steady
When you're ready to inject, slow yourself down, think it through, and keep your hand steady. If you miss the vein, you're more likely to get an abscess.
This video will show you how to tell if someone has overdosed, and how to give them an injection of naloxone to save their life.
Xylazine, sometimes called tranq, is a veterinary sedative that has been found in the Pittsburgh opioid supply. It can lead to complications with overdose as people may remain unconscious even if they are breathing. 1-2 doses of naloxone is typically what is needed to reverse a fentanyl overdose. Xylazine is not an opioid, and a person may start breathing after being given naloxone, but the xylazine makes it harder for them to wake up. Rescue breathing is very important, especially if xylazine or benzos are ingested alongside opioids.
Prevention Point Pittsburgh (PPP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing health empowerment services to people who use drugs. PPP is deeply rooted in a concern for the well being of not only our clients, but the general health of the entire community.
Prevention Point Pittsburgh was founded in 1995 when James Crow and Caroline Acker, along with a handful of dedicated volunteers, began providing needle exchange services once a week on a Hill District street corner to prevent the spread of injection-related blood-borne disease.
In April 2002, PPP established a county-authorized needle exchange site in East Liberty. Since that time, over 5,000 injection drug users have enrolled into our program for critical prevention services.
"In addition to needle exchange services, PPP has grown to include comprehensive case management services, assistance to drug treatment, individual risk-reduction counseling, health education, condom and bleach distribution, overdose prevention with naloxone distribution and free HIV, Hepatitis C, and STI screening in collaboration with Allies for Health + Wellbeing, formerly the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.
PPP's services are authorized by the Allegheny County Board of Health and the Allegheny County Council (Ordinance #3671-08).
We could not do the important work of providing essential harm and risk reduction services without the generosity of people like you. Your contribution allows us to continue working to reduce the rates of Hepatitis C, HIV, and overdose fatalities in our region.
There are several ways you can support us
DONATE NOWYou can donate directly to Prevention Point Pittsburgh by clicking the "Donate Now" button
Corporate Matching
Remember, many companies that match their employee’s charitable gift-giving. This is a great way to double your donation!
Volunteer
If you would like more information about volunteering with Prevention Point, please send email with your interest and contact information to julia@pppgh.org. You may also call our office (412) 247-3404 and leave your contact information
*Prevention Point Pittsburgh is tax exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to our organization are deductible under section 170 of the Code.