Individuals who have been prescribed oxycodone, an opioid analgesic pain medication, are at risk of developing an addiction to it. Those who have developed an oxycodone addiction may seek various methods to continue getting high. This leads to individuals asking, “Can you smoke oxycodone?”
In this article, you’ll learn if can you smoke oxycodone, why it’s smoked rather than ingested, the difference between smoking and snorting oxycodone, and its risks and dangers.
How Do People Misuse Oxycodone?
Oxycodone, found in drugs like OxyContin, Percocet, or Percodan, is a prescription opioid drug that is used as a painkiller. Its intended use is to relieve individuals suffering from moderate to severe pain. However, oxycodone is commonly misused due to its euphoric and pleasurable effects.
Individuals may misuse oxycodone in a variety of ways to enhance the effects of the drug. Some of the ways include snorting, smoking, and intravenous injection. Each of these ways can cause harmful side effects and lead to oxycodone addiction.
The method of administration is not the way that individuals may abuse oxycodone. Some common ways individuals have been shown to abuse oxycodone include:
- Taking higher doses than prescribed
- Taking oxycodone recreationally
- Combining oxycodone with other substances
- Ignoring warning labels and instructions for use
Read More: Is OxyContin an Upper or Downer?
Can You Smoke Oxycodone?
Yes, you can smoke oxycodone. While snorting oxycodone is a more commonly used way to misuse the drug, smoking oxycodone has become increasingly popular among young adults in recent years. To get high, users may crush up oxycodone pills, heat them up on tin foil, and inhale the vapor through a straw. As the vapor is inhaled through the lungs, it rapidly enters the bloodstream and reaches the brain, leading to the quick onset of effects.
This method of oxycodone abuse is commonly used with the extended-release version of the drug. Smoking bypasses the extended-release function, allowing individuals to feel the immediate effects as the body ingests the drug. This has a high potential for overdose and dangerous side effects. As individuals begin regularly smoking oxycodone, they will develop and build a tolerance to it, causing them to use larger and larger doses to achieve the same effects.
Why Do People Smoke Oxycodone?
Individuals who smoke oxycodone are most likely experiencing oxycodone addiction, resulting in them seeking stronger and more potent drug variations. Smoking oxycodone allows the opioid to bypass the slow digestive process and affect users almost immediately.
Individuals may not only smoke oxycodone due to its increased effects. A study conducted by the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2016 found that young adults are more likely to smoke prescription drugs, especially males who are involved in nightlife. As many individuals involved in nightlife and partying have experienced, the social aspect of engaging in drug use can pressure some individuals to try drugs in ways they may not usually have, like smoking oxycodone.
What’s the Difference in Smoking or Snorting Oxycodone?
Both smoking and snorting oxycodone are methods of misuse, causing various health effects and addiction. However, snorting oxycodone is the more commonly used way for oxycodone abuse, with 52% of oxycodone users snorting the medication. There are a few differences between smoking or snorting oxycodone, such as the method of administration, the duration of effects, and the health risks.
Method of Administration
As discussed above, smoking oxycodone involves crushing the pills into a powder, heating the powder on tin foil, and inhaling the vapor. Snorting oxycodone is a similar process. To snort oxycodone, an individual must crush the pills into a fine powder and inhale through the nostrils. This allows for the drug to be absorbed through the nasal mucosa and enter the bloodstream.
Duration of Effects
Due to how smoking enters the body, the onset of effects happens within seconds or minutes. However, the duration of the euphoric effects is relatively short. These effects typically last for about 30 minutes to an hour. When snorting oxycodone, the effects can occur a little later than smoking. Individuals typically feel the effects within 15 to 30 minutes of snorting, and the high lasts 2 to 4 hours.
Health Risks
Each method of administration may cause damage to specific areas of the body. With smoking oxycodone, most damage will occur in the respiratory system. The process of inhaling the drug can lead to lung damage and various respiratory issues. On the other hand, snorting may irritate the nasal passages and lead to damage in the nose and sinus cavities. Snorting may also increase the risk of respiratory infections and damage to the nasal septum.
Learn More: A Guide to the Dangers of Snorting Oxycodone
The Risks of Smoking Oxycodone
The risks of smoking oxycodone can be severe and may affect various aspects of an individual’s life. It is essential to understand these risks to discourage the misuse of oxycodone and see the dangerous impacts it may have. To understand these risks, we must first understand the side effects of smoking oxycodone. Common side effects of smoking oxycodone include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chronic cough
- Decreased lung functioning
- Respiratory depression
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Brain damage
Smoking Oxycodone Can Lead To Overdose
On top of these side effects of oxycodone, the risk of overdose increases when an individual abuses oxycodone. When an individual smokes oxycodone, it is difficult to track precisely how much of the drug they inhale. Because of this, individuals may take large doses that are more than their bodies can handle, resulting in an overdose. Understanding the signs of an oxycodone overdose is imperative in preventing overdose death.
Some of the most common signs of overdose include:
- Shallow breathing
- Clammy skin
- Disorientation
- Weak pulse
- Hypotension
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
- Death
Opioid Addiction Treatment Near Knoxville, TN
If you or a loved one find yourself seeking out oxycodone and smoking it, you may have developed an opioid addiction. Opioid addiction may have devastating effects on your life, including your physical and mental health, social relationships, and finances. Once you have recognized you have an addiction, treatment is the next step to recovery.
At Knoxville Recovery Center, our mission is to provide addiction treatment services to those struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. We offer addiction treatment, medical detox, aftercare planning, and a therapeutic nutritional program to address every aspect of our client’s needs. Our unique and individualized programs focus on the individual and help guide them toward their recovery.
Contact our team today to learn more about our treatment programs. Knoxville Recovery is here to help you thrive.
