Snorting Oxycodone

Oxycodone is an opiate agonist, which is also the primary ingredient of various prescription painkillers, including Percocet and OxyContin. Oxycodone is used in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. The drug improves a patient’s quality of life from chronic pain caused by cancer, injuries, or rheumatoid arthritis. While the medication provides effective pain relief for many, its euphoric effects can rapidly lead to chemical dependence and addiction when misused. Individuals who misuse oxycodone usually grind the tablets to make a fine powder to inject or snort. Snorting oxycodone is a typical form of abuse in which people take a crushed pill and forcefully breathe it into the nasal cavity. Snorting oxycodone speeds up the effects of opioids on the central nervous system, creating a high with an intensity similar to that of heroin.

Snorting oxycodone makes the opioid enter the bloodstream more quickly, resulting in a faster and more extreme high. This method causes the medication to affect the brain and body within 15 minutes in comparison to an hour if oxycodone was consumed orally.

Snorting allows for faster absorption, as it bypasses the digestive tract and travels directly into the bloodstream through the blood vessels in the nasal cavity. Upon entering the bloodstream, the drug quickly travels to the brain. When crushing and snorting extended-release form tablets, the mechanism is made obsolete, and the effects are instantly felt. The abuse of oxycodone in this manner significantly increases the risk of addiction. Snorting oxycodone can also lead to fatal complications such as breathing issues and coughing. Other than the drug’s side effects, this form of drug use also contributes to additional health issues.

Snorting oxycodone is much more dangerous than taking the medication orally. Snorting any substance can increase the risk of contracting hepatitis C caused by the damage to the nasal blood vessels and by sharing snorting paraphernalia, such as straws and dollar bills. The primary side effect of snorting oxycodone is damage to the nose, throat, and respiratory system. The effects of these health risks may vary from mild to life-threatening.

The health consequences of snorting oxycodone may include:

• Frequent nose bleeds
• Sleep apnea and snoring
• Congestion
• Severe headache
• Loss of smell
• Pneumonia
• Sores in the nose and mouth
• Lung infections
• Problems swallowing
• Unconsciousness
• Abdominal pain
• Chronic sinus infections

Since oxycodone is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, the risk of an overdose is increased when the drug is crushed and snorted. Overdose may cause severe respiratory depression that may slow down breathing to a fatally low rate, resulting in respiratory failure, death, or coma. Oxycodone is also usually abused along with alcohol and other substances to intensify or mitigate the effects of the drugs. Mixing oxycodone with other CNS depressants can dramatically increase the risk of an overdose.

Symptoms of an oxycodone overdose include:

• A bluish tint to the lips and skin
• Vomiting
• Low blood pressure
• Slow pulse
• Stomach spasms
• Respiratory depression or failure
• Extreme drowsiness
• Seizures
• Coma
• Constricted pupils

It is possible to recover from an overdose with adequate medical care. However, if left untreated, it may trigger irreversible brain damage and possibly even death. Oxycodone use, regardless of the method of intake, is a dangerous and potentially fatal habit. Those who snort drugs are at higher risk of drug dependency, overdose, and even death.