How Is Methamphetamine Used? (Route Of Administration)

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that affects your central nervous system and the production of dopamine.

Some of the most common administration methods include:

• smoking
• snorting
• swallowing
• injecting

With that said, there are an ever-growing number of ways that people choose to use the drug and support a meth addiction.

Methods Of Using Meth

All methods of meth use are dangerous. However, you may face particular struggles depending on the administration route.

Smoking Meth

Smoking is one of the most common forms of meth use. This method is less stigmatized than injection and offers an instant high.

It is possible to smoke crystal meth off a foil. This is done by placing the crystals on aluminum foil, applying direct heat to the underside, and inhaling the fumes through a straw.

Meth pipes can also be used for a more direct dose. The concept is similar, but the bowl is attached directly to the oral implement. Vapor from crystal methamphetamine cannot escape easily with this method.

If you smoke meth, you’re more likely to develop chronic dry mouth followed by what we know as “meth mouth.” This condition is a result of permanent damage to your gums and teeth.

Shooting Meth

Shooting meth is another form of meth use that offers an instant high. This method is usually used by people with severe addictions, but it could be used by anyone who abuses meth.

To shoot meth, you place the powder in something small like a spoon. Water or alcohol is mixed with the product to dissolve it into a liquid form.

Once the meth is dissolved, the liquid is drawn into a syringe through a filter. Small pieces of cotton and cigarette filters are commonly used to ensure that solids are not drawn into the syringe.

People who shoot meth should always use clean, packaged needles. Injecting drugs puts you at higher risk of damage to your blood vessels.

You are also more likely to contract serious, potentially life-threatening infections. If you share needles, you may also catch a blood-borne disease like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Snorting Meth

Snorting meth has a delayed reaction, but it requires little to no paraphernalia associated with drug use.

Much like cocaine, the powdered form of meth can be snorted directly through a nostril. You can generally expect to feel the effects within a few minutes. If your reaction is delayed, do not take more.

Snorting meth damages the mucous membranes of your nose. You’re likely to deal with irritation and bleeding on top of all of the other side effects associated with methamphetamine use.

Eating Meth

Like many drugs, meth can be compacted into a pill form. This form is easily swallowed and avoids the stigma associated with other administration methods.

As with snorting meth, the effect will not be instantaneous. Eating or swallowing meth pills requires waiting for it to hit the bloodstream.

“Booty Bumping” Meth

“Booty bumping” is a term that refers to the practice of taking drugs rectally. It is possible to insert the drugs directly into the rectum. However, that can be far more unpleasant.

It is more common to dissolve the meth in a mixture with water and inject it directly into the rectum using a syringe without a needle. Lube is often used to assist with application.

This method isn’t exactly conventional, but there are a number of reasons people choose to rectally administer meth. The high is quick, intense, and avoids many of the physical indicators of drug abuse.

There are still risks of tearing and infection.

Vaping Meth

Vaping is a popular way of administering nicotine. The public is used to seeing people vape, and the equipment is easily available to anyone over 18.

As a result, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggest that vaping has become an increasingly common way of using illicit drugs like meth without garnering suspicion from the general public.

Currently, there is very little research on the effects of vaping methamphetamine. The growing concern over the long-term effects of vaping indicates that it may be more harmful than previously thought.

Hot Railing Meth

Hot railing is yet another way of inhaling the vapor from heated meth. In this case, the tip of the glass tube is heated almost to the point where it is glowing.

The tube is placed over a small mound or line of meth, causing it to release a vapor. That vapor is directly inhaled through the tube and into your nose.

The idea is that you can expand the surface area that is heated, increasing the volume of vapor and the intensity of the high.

Hot railing meth comes with all the risks of meth use, as well as the additional risks associated with snorting and smoking meth.

Second-Hand Meth Exposure

Secondhand exposure to meth is a very real risk, especially if you are taking meth in any way that produces a vapor.

With injection, booty bumping, and pills, it is possible to protect the people around you as long as you are diligent. If you’re smoking meth or spreading it out on shared surfaces, you could expose anyone.

Secondhand Meth Smoke

As a society, we’re generally familiar with the concept of secondhand smoke. With methamphetamine the concept is the same, but the risks are far higher.

Secondhand meth smoke has been associated short-term side effects, including:

• respiratory difficulties
• dizziness
• fatigue
• increased heart rate
• increased blood pressure
• increased body temperature

Meth Skin Absorption

If someone comes into physical contact with meth without their knowledge, this can be dangerous. It can cause serious skin irritation, and they may unknowingly spread it to their mouth, nose, or eyes.

Different Meth Use Methods Can Lead To Various Side Effects

Meth use comes with serious long-term side effects that can cause permanent organ damage, psychosis, violent behavior, extreme weight loss, and death. Each method has its own particular side effects that add to those risks.

Essentially, the immediate area where your body first comes into contact with meth is more likely to sustain permanent damage.

Your nose, mouth, lungs, stomach, blood vessels, and rectal tissue could be damaged by your drug addiction, depending on how you use it.

Treatment Programs For Meth Abuse

Methamphetamine abuse is a serious health condition. Meth is extremely addictive, and it is very dangerous to go through the process of withdrawal and recovery alone.

Meth addiction treatment programs exist to provide you and your loved ones with the healthcare and support you need to fight this incredibly harmful disease.

Find Treatment For Substance Use Disorders At Bedrock Recovery Center

At Bedrock Recovery Center, we know how impossible the drug cravings can be. We’ve worked with people just like you, and we want to help.

When you’re ready to be finished worrying about safe methods of meth use, let us be the help you need to quit. Call our Massachusetts treatment center today to learn more about detox and treatment for your meth addiction.