After having read a great deal of your posts I must say GREAT JOB! I believe that I have a very unique question...hope you can help. We often hear of relative risks re: HIV transmission via semen, saliva, blood, etc, and we also often hear of HIV transmission via needling sharing. However, if an individual were to INHALE drugs (e.g., marijuana, crack) via the sharing "shotgun" method (deep inhale in the first person into the mouth of the second person) from an HIV+ person, is there any theoretical chance of infection??? I am not a pulmonary expert in the least and so I am wondering if there would be any chance of such an interaction resulting in HIV transmission.

Thanks so much!

Hi,

No, I see no significant HIV risk from "shotgunning," assuming the shotgunner isn't inhaling (or blowing) contaminated blood into the shotgunnee's mouth. But that situation sounds almost too disgusting for even a Quinton Tarantino flick so I doubt it happens often.

Finally, I would caution everyone about crack. Its effects can be as devastating as HIV.

Stay safe. Stay well. I wonder if the NRA "shotgun's" often? After all we all know most of them are "cracked" in one way or another.

Dr. Bob