Snorting Adderall

Is snorting Adderall effective or should Adderall be taken orally? Can snorting Adderall get you high? What do you risk and what dangers are present when you snort Adderall? More on snorting Adderall effects here.

4
minute read

If you want to snort Adderall for getting high, you should know what happens in the brain and body.

Adderall shows on drug tests as an amphetamine even when snorted.  But if you have decided to crush and snort Adderall, we present the following information in the interest of harm reduction.  We review what happens in the body while snorting Adderall, as well as the dangers and safety issues of snorting Adderall.    Plus, a section for your question about snorting Adderall at the end.

Adderall: What are you really snorting?

Adderall is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. It comes as both a regular tablet and extended-release formula. Adderall’s active ingredient are dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, but Adderall also includes the inactive ingredients gelatin capsules, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methacrylic acid copolymer, opadry beige, sugar spheres, talc, and triethyl citrate. Adderall tablets may also include coloring agents or dyes.

How does snorting Adderall affect the body?

The dextroamphetamine and amphetamine found in Adderall are central nervous system stimulants. People taking Adderall need to be monitored to make sure they don’t develop heart problems, high blood pressure, or the symptoms of mood disorders. Because of these stimulant effects, Adderall can cause a variety of health problems, including heart issues or psychiatric problems. For example, Adderall should never be used in people with high blood pressure, anxiety, thyroid issues, or heart disease. Adderall is also extremely addictive.

Adderall can cause a host of side effects with normal use. These risk of these effects increase when you snort Adderall, are mixing Adderall and alcohol, or take Adderall any other way than prescribed. Possible side effects of Adderall and ways that it affects the body include:

  • headache
  • insomnia
  • nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
  • nervousness
  • restlessness
  • uncontrollable shaking

Snorting Adderall to get high

Snorting Adderall results in the release of large doses of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine to bloodstream very quickly, particularly in the case of the extended-release Adderall formula. As a result, snorting Adderall can expose you to higher doses than through the recommended oral route of administration, which can cause very serious side effects, including seizures, heart attack, stroke, and even sudden death.

Snorting Adderall vs oral

When taken orally, Adderall drug usually only causes a high in people who are not taking it for a legitimate medical purpose – people with a sleep disorder or ADHD will not experience euphoric effects. However, there is no medical reason to snort this medication – in fact, snorting Adderall is very dangerous.

Plus, Adderall is much more effective when it’s taken orally, according to doctor’s instructions. Oral Adderall preparations are safer and cause fewer instances of adverse effects. It should never be used without medical supervision because of the seriousness of potential side effects.

Snorting Adderall side effects

Even at normal doses, Adderall can be dangerous. Severe side effects occur more often when the medication is not taken as prescribed, such as when Adderall is snorted. These effects can include:

  • chest pain
  • confusion
  • dizziness or faintness
  • difficulty in breathing and swallowing
  • irrational fears
  • hallucinations
  • mood changes, including mania or hostile/aggressive behavior
  • motor or verbal tics
  • muscle or joint pain
  • rapid, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
  • suicidal thoughts and feelings
  • seizures
  • weakness or numbness of limbs

Snorting Adderall dangers

The side effects of snorting Adderall are very serious. If you’re considering snorting Adderall, you need to be aware of the risk for serious, potentially life-threatening complications like heart attack, stroke, or seizure. But there are also other dangers to snorting Adderall that might not be so obvious.

When you snort Adderall, it can cause dizziness, paranoia, and weakness, potentially increasing your chance of being in an accident. Adderall can also harm your nasal passages. Or you might unwittingly spread disease if you share snorting instruments with other users. And the risk of becoming addicted to Adderall also increases when you snort it.

Snorting Adderall safely

Snorting Adderall is always dangerous, but it’s much worse to snort the extended-release version of the tablet, which can more easily cause overdose. While the fatal dose for adults is generally around 20-25 mg/kg, as little as 1.5mg/kg of Adderall has been known to cause death. Even if you don’t overdose, Adderall is a highly addictive medication, and long-term abuse of can cause a variety of other health problems.

Snorting Adderall questions

Do you still have questions about snorting or using Adderall? If so, please let us know. We try to respond to all legitimate Adderall questions with a personal and prompt reply. And if we cannot answer your question, we will refer you to someone who can.

Reference Sources: NHTSA Drug and Human Performance Fact Sheets: Methamphetamine (And Amphetamine)
FDA Medication Guide: Adderall XR
Medline Plus: Detxroamphetamine and Amphetamine
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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