Method of Administration: Why “How” Matters

The beginning of an addiction may seem—or even actually be—harmless enough. A person may try alcohol or marijuana to fit into a social scene or because of peer pressure (Read Gateway Drugs: What They Are and Why They Matter and Peer Pressure: Help Your Kids Say “No!”).  Or addiction may begin after a person grows accustomed to the relief that comes from a prescription medication when they are being treated for pain and seek to maintain that feeling even after the medical necessity of doing so has long since past (Read Opiophobia: Addiction and Pain Management).  Or someone may have offered them a temporary escape from traumatic memories with a stronger substance and the person begins to believe that there is no other way to cope with their past experiences (Read Veterans and Addiction: Bringing the War Home and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: When the Past Affects the Present).  But at some point, when addiction takes hold, addicts develop an increased tolerance to the substance, which means that they need higher doses more frequently to get the same high (Read Talk the Talk: Medical Terminology Defined).  They may also seek stronger drugs or, as the remainder of this article will explain, turn to different methods of administration.

What is a method of administration?

Simply put, a method of administration is the way in which a drug user gets the drug into their body.  As a general rule, the faster a substance can enter the bloodstream and reach the brain, the faster and more intense the associated “high” will be. The method of administration can also increase or decrease the likelihood of an accidental overdose (Read Overdose: Why It Happens & What to Do When It Does).

How might a drug user deliver a substance into his or her system?

• Orally – Considered the slowest route because the substance must be processed by the digestive system, swallowing a pill may be an addict’s first type of administration, especially in the case of prescription drug abuse. Some marijuana users will include the drug in recipes such as brownies – in this case, the drug is also processed by the digestive system and not likely to produce the high associated with smoking it. 
• Snorting – When a user snorts a substance, they inhale powder through their nose.  This method is a bit faster than the previous one because the mucosal areas of the nose can process and deliver the substance faster than via digestion.  People who are addicted to prescription drugs often realize this and begin crushing and inhaling the substance, which is frequently the first sign of abuse.  Cocaine is an example of another drug that can be snorted.  Frequent snorting of substances can cause nasal irritation, nose bleeds, damage to the nasal cartilage, and, if users share straws or rolled bills with infected individuals, the transmission of Hepatitis C or other diseases (Read Recognizing Drug Paraphernalia).
• Smoking – Faster than snorting, smoked substances enter the blood stream after diffusing in the lungs.  Whether the substance is rolled into a piece of paper or smoked in a pipe or bong, smoking may be the next step in the progression of serious addiction.  Substances that may be smoked include crack cocaine and marijuana among others.
• Intravenous (IV) Injection – The fastest way to get high, IV injection delivers the substance directly into the bloodstream. An addiction that requires this type of administration is extremely serious and can lead to numerous other health problems in addition to the addiction (Read The Dangers of IV Drug Use).

How can I get help for someone who is abusing a substance this way?

If a person is getting progressively more desperate to achieve that high, the addiction is likely strongly established. Call eDrugRehab for immediate help!