Snorting Codeine: Dangers & Risks of Overdose

Codeine is typically sold as a small tablet for oral use. You’re meant to swallow the pill, allowing active ingredients to enter your bloodstream through the digestive tract. 

In studies of people who misuse codeine, most people prefer to take the tablets orally.[1] But crushing and snorting the powder allows codeine to enter your brain faster through the network of veins deep inside your nose and sinuses. If swallowing tablets no longer seems like enough, some people resort to snorting to try and increase the intensity of codeine’s effects and overcome their tolerance. 

Snorting codeine is extremely dangerous and can increase the chance of addiction. The pills are not meant for this route of administration, and each time you try this method, you put your health at risk.

Can You Snort Codeine?

7 Dangers of Snorting Codeine

Codeine isn’t designed to enter your body through your nose. These are just some of the very real dangers associated with snorting the drug:

1. Nosebleeds & Infections

Researchers know that opioids like codeine can harm delicate tissues inside the nose, but they’re not sure why.[2] It’s possible that coatings used on the outside of tablets harm the nose, or the tools people use to snort the drug deliver bacteria directly to your nose. 

Some people who snort drugs develop bacterial or fungal infections that cause pain deep inside the nose or face. But others develop persistent nosebleeds due to vascular damage caused by drugs. You may also lose your sense of smell because of this damage.

2. Sinus Infections

Some people who snort drugs develop infections deep within sinus cavities.[3] Bacteria and fungi that can die when exposed to stomach acids can thrive inside other tissues, including those in your sinuses.

Your sinuses are both wet and dark, making them an ideal home for many different types of fungal diseases. Treating them is incredibly difficult, as doctors can’t clean every inch of the deep cavities inside your head. 

A sinus infection is painful, and you may notice a headache that doesn’t get better with time or over-the-counter treatments. Your teeth may also feel sore or loose, and some people develop foul-smelling breath.

3. Lung Damage

Things you snort move from your nose, through your sinuses, down your throat, and into your lungs. Once there, they can do intense damage.

Your lungs are delicate organs, filled with tiny pockets that move air in and out of your body. Snorting anything, including codeine, means exposing these tissues to contaminants that are not meant for the lungs.[4] You could block air sacs, causing nodules of infection. Or you could develop lung infections. 

Drug-related lung damage can manifest as wheezing or a persistent cough. You may also feel short of breath, especially when exercising.

4. Hearing Loss

Codeine is associated with hearing loss, as researchers say it can impair the cochlea.[5] Once damaged by drugs, your hearing does not recover. Some people need implants to hear again. 

Using codeine in any format, including orally, can harm the delicate structures inside your ears. But snorting could cause even more significant problems. 

Snorting requires pulling a large amount of air inside your nose, and users often block one nostril while sniffing with the other. Each snort puts pressure on your ears, and if you sniff too hard, you could harm your eardrums.

5. Overdose

Codeine is a powerful opioid drug, capable of slowing or stopping your central nervous system. Since snorting the drug puts all the power of each pill into your body immediately, it increases your overdose risks. Instead of slowly entering your brain through your digestive tract, the drug hits your body very quickly after it enters your nose.

Pills you buy from dealers may be marked “codeine,” but they may contain an entirely different drug. People who are experienced with drug use claim they can spot substances like fentanyl by the quality of the high, but if you snort the drug, you may not notice the switch until you’ve already overdosed.[6] 

Fentanyl is much stronger than codeine, and it’s often the active ingredient in drugs you buy from dealers. Since you won’t know if the drugs you purchase on the street are laced with fentanyl, this makes it virtually impossible to dose the drugs you buy in a way that will prevent overdose. There’s no way to ensure safety.

6. Opioid Use Disorder

Snorting codeine can speed up the development of tolerance, physiological dependence, and addiction—known as opioid use disorder.

This is because snorting this opioid leads to a more rapid onset of effects and a more intense high or rush, making the drug even more rewarding and reinforcing future behavior. Repeated codeine misuse can lead to a compulsive pattern of use that can be difficult to break.

7. Distressing Withdrawal Symptoms

Snorting codeine can speed up the development of physiological dependence, which means your body needs the drug to function optimally. If you are dependent on codeine and suddenly stop taking it, you’ll experience distressing codeine withdrawal symptoms, such as: [10]

• Anxiety
• Dysphoria
• Agitation
• Joint pain
• Muscle aches
• Runny nose and tearing eyes
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Goosebumps
• Stomach cramps
• Excessive yawning

Codeine Insufflation vs. Taking it Orally

Many of the effects of snorting and swallowing codeine are the same. These similar effects may include: [11]. [12]

• Constipation
• Bowel obstruction
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Slowed breathing, which can lead to hypoxia, coma, and brain damage
• Breathing problems during sleep
• Weakened immune system
• Increased sensitivity to pain
• Heart attack
• Erectile dysfunction
• Infertility
• Reduced sex drive
• Depression
• Osteoporosis

However, one major difference between snorting and swallowing codeine is that insufflating this opioid can damage the nose, causing nosebleeds, sinus infections, nosebleeds, and perforated nasal septum. 

The other difference is that snorting codeine can cause a more intense and rapid high than taking this medication orally. This can reinforce the desire to take it repeatedly and increase the risk of chronic use, tolerance, dependence, and opioid use disorder.

How Can You Quit Snorting Codeine?

If you’re snorting codeine, quitting is the best way to preserve your health and future. But quitting when an opioid use disorder is present can be difficult. 

A Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) program uses pharmaceutical treatments to correct chemical imbalances caused by drugs.[7] With medications like Suboxone, you may avoid painful withdrawal symptoms and experience fewer cravings for opioids.[8] 

With medications, you could finally achieve the sobriety you always hoped for. This allows you to focus on the work you’re doing in therapy. You’ll be able to build a better life without opioid misuse.

Talk to your doctor about MAT and find out if these types of programs are right for you. You can also reach out to us here at Bicycle Health to learn about our offerings. We’ll discuss whether MAT is right for you and how to get started quickly if it is.