What are 'boofing kits' and why is this Maine non-profit handing them out?

Boofing, the [Maine Access Points] experts explain, is a great way to allow your veins some time to heal up if they’ve been damaged by too much intravenous drug use. Boofing, they say, reduces the likelihood of developing an infection, which can lead to brain damage.

The MAP experts also explain that boofing can be an “intimate activity” with a romantic partner, but it can also be a way to avoid wasting drugs if you were planning to inject already-prepared narcotics but then struggle to find a vein that hasn’t already been destroyed by previous injections.

Boofing is also a handy stress reduction technique if a user is growing frustrated because their having a hard time “hitting” with the usual needle-to-the-arm method.

“You’re like, ‘Okay, I’m getting really f*****g frustrated. This is really, like, I’m not… It’s not working. Okay, I have this other option, too.’ Right?” one of the experts explains.

Some drug-users who are “used to inserting things in that area” will have an easier time executing a proper boof, MAP states. But for those less experienced with sticking things up their butts, the experts explain that you should use your finger or thumb to guide the syringe and get it to “thumb knuckle depth” before depressing the plunger.