In honor of the late great Mark Kinzly. Mark Kinzly was a harm reduction pioneer we lost too soon in July 2022. Of his many accomplishments one of his most important was bringing awareness and attention to the safer smoking of crack, speed and heroin and being a principal voice in convincing harm reductionists, researchers and pundits to take the safer smoking seriously too. This month, September, Mark’s birth month is dedicated to him and his work. Wherever you are, you are missed and very loved brother.

There are three main styles of pipes used to smoke power and rock based drugs. These include:

Straight Stems: These are straight glass stems used for smoking crack through a copper filter. Other kinds of filters can be dangerous so stick with pure copper.

Bubblers: Are glass tubes with a bubble on the end and a small hole to put the drugs in are used for smoking powdered drug vapor such as speed or DMT.

Hammer Style: Are glass pipes with a straight stem and a bowl with a flat bottom. These were designed by drug users to smoke opioids out of. They are used with a brass screen filter like those used for weed. The filter is placed either over the mouthpiece or inserted into the stem.

Harm Reduction for Glass Pipes

Harm reduction for glass pipes is similar no matter which style. Tips include:

• If you have to share pipes cover the mouthpiece with a pipe cover to avoid spreading hep C. Sharing pipes without a mouthpiece has been shown to spread HCV.
• Keep your mouth/skin health and moist. Drink lots of water and use lip balm to moisturize your lips and avoid chapped lips that make passing HCV more likely.