Medicinal use of hypodermic needles in an addict patient population

Narcotic addicts may become so conditioned to the use of hypodermic needles that self-injection without a drug may become pleasurable. This phenomenon has raised the question as to whether addicts in treatment should be administered any medication by hypodermic needle for fear of precipitating withdrawal or inducing a craving for heroin. In this study addicts in treatment were given a medicinal needle challenge but there were no documented deleterious effects.