title: Syringe possession arrests are associated with receptive syringe sharing in two Mexico-US border cities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors associated with receptive syringe sharing among injection drug users (IDUs) and elucidate the association between syringe possession arrests and syringe sharing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mexican border cities of Tijuana, Baja California and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.
  
  
  METHODS
  IDUs in Tijuana (n = 222) and Ciudad Juarez (n = 206) were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). IDUs were > or = 18 years and had injected illicit drugs in the past month.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interviewer-administered survey was used to collect quantitative data on socio-demographic, behavioral and contextual characteristics, including self-reported syringe sharing and arrests for syringe possession. Associations with receptive syringe sharing were investigated using logistic regression with RDS adjustment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 48% of participants reported ever being arrested for carrying an unused/sterile syringe, even though syringe purchase and possession is legal in Mexico. Arrest for possessing unused/sterile syringes was associated independently with receptive syringe sharing [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26, 3.35], as was injecting in a shooting gallery (AOR = 3.60; 95% CI: 2.21, 5.87), injecting in the street (AOR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.18, 3.54) and injecting methamphetamine (AOR = 2.77; 95% CI: 1.41, 5.47) or cocaine (AOR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.15, 3.36). More than half of participants (57%) had been arrested for possessing a used syringe; in a second model, arrest for used syringe possession was also associated independently with receptive sharing (AOR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.76, 4.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We documented high levels of syringe-related arrests in two Mexican-US border cities and an independent association between these arrests and risky injection practices. Public health collaborations with law enforcement to modify the risk environment in which drug use occurs are essential to facilitate safer injection practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA. rpollini@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Robin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pollini
authors.forename: Kimberly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Remedios M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lozada
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magis-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Case
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burris
authors.forename: Minya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Simon D W
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Lawrence A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Palinkas
authors.forename: Cari
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology*; D013594:Syringes