Rectal (shelving) 

Inserting drugs into your rectum is often called ‘boofing’, ‘shelving’ or ‘plugging’. Using drugs this way delivers them to your body faster than swallowing them.   

You may want to consider doing these things if you decide to insert drugs into your rectum:   

Use smaller amounts. 

Shelving drugs delivers them to your bloodstream as quickly as snorting. There can be an increased risk of unpleasant experiences and overdose. Try starting with smaller amounts and see how you feel before you use more.  

Think about safer sex. 

Drugs get into the body through the blood vessels in the rectum, which means they are more susceptible to damage after shelving. Consider waiting a while before engaging in penetrative anal sex acts to reduce risk of damage. If you are rubbing powdered drugs onto the outside of your anus (‘dabbing’), this can create numbness and reduce the chance of noticing soreness during anal sex, which can cause damage to the area.   

Dissolve your drug in water before inserting.

 Avoid inserting powders, pills or crystals directly into your rectum. There is not enough fluid in your rectum for these solids to dissolve, which can cause damage to your rectal tissue. Mixing your drugs with water before you insert them reduces the potential for damage to your rectum.    

Insert with care. 

Shelving can cause tearing, burning and infection to the rectum area. Gently insert the drug into your rectum with a clean tool - ideally, a sterile syringe (without the needle). Cover the syringe in lube to reduce friction and insert into the rectum with clean hands. Do not share syringes with others as this can pass on blood borne viruses and bacteria. Using a smaller sized syringe will make the process more comfortable.   

Rinse the area afterwards (douching).

Use a douche or a clean vessel such as an unused drink bottle or sterile syringe (without the needle) to insert fresh water into your rectum. This will help to clean the area and get rid of any residual drugs.  

Avoid ‘dabbing’. 

Sometimes a powdered drug is dabbed or rubbed onto the outside/lining of the anus, sometimes called a ‘booty bump’. This method is more likely to cause irritation, burning or sores on the delicate mucus membranes of your anus.