I was nervous testing for HIV in 2005 – and a little embarrassed about it. I had become complacent around some known risks, and felt that certainly I should know better. When my results came, I was negative – still negative. What the counselor told me then shocked me – “You have Hepatitis C.” I hadn’t shot drugs for over twenty years. Between 50-80% of injection drug users become infected with Hepatitis C within 6-12 months of starting to inject drugs.- Centers for Disease Control, 2002 This scenario is playing out among people all over Los Angeles – in addiction treatment centers, and at needle exchange sites and health clinics. About half of those who test positive for Hepatitis C have histories of injection drug use, as the Hepatitis C Virus, or HCV, is more efficiently transmitted … Read entire article »