Membership
Anyone is welcome to come get supplies from QCHR. We want to make it very easy for people to access our resources.
When you come to QCHR for the first time, we will give you an anonymous Unique Identifying Number (UID). This UID is an anonymous way for us to track inventory--how many needles we are giving out and getting back. It ensures your privacy, and that your name is not connected to any supplies you may receive. You will also receive a membership card, which gives you legal protection. As long as you have your membership card on you, you can not be charged for having paraphernalia or residue possession.
Here is an example of a membership card for QCHR.
Participants of QCHR have certain legal protections, however, these are new laws. Because drugs laws have changed so quickly in NC, law enforcement isn't always aware. This could lead to misunderstandings.
QCHR is here to support you. If you have had issues, please let us know right away. We will support you as best we can.
What Do I Need to Bring?
Just yourself! We do not require you have any used syringes. We're called an exchange, but we don't require you bring any syringes to exchange.
All our supplies and testing are free to whoever needs them.
If you do have used syringes that you'd like us to dispose of for you---great. It always helps us for you to bring back any equipment once you're done with it. Community support and trust is built when we can say we're keeping used syringes off the street by properly disposing of our participants syringes once they are done with them.
How Can I Dispose of Syringes Safely?
We provide biohazard containers for you.
There's another safe alternative for disposing of syringes: laundry detergent bottles. Laundry detergent bottles are made of thick plastic, and considered puncture proof, making them a safe, and legal, alternative to biohazard containers.
Once you've filled up the container, you can bring it to us and we'll dispose of it as biohazardous waste.
As a member of the exchange it's legal to keep syringes on you---that legal protection is provided with the hope that people will hold onto syringes until they can properly dispose of them. If it's at all possible, please don't throw syringes out car windows or in the trash unless they are in a puncture proof container.