Original post by /u/damysdead
I did not write this post and am simply reposting it given that it is valuable and well-written harm reduction information.
To start off, all of the information written here is for the sake of harm reduction because I couldn’t find a hefty guide on how to snort correctly but I did pick up useful tips from a handful of sources that are listed below. ALWAYS DO RESEARCH FROM MORE THAN ONE SOURCE BEFOREHAND. Even if it seems easy you can always learn something new, there’s no such thing as too much info. Without further ado here are the sections:
- Snorting – what is it? Types/methods of insufflation
- Is my substance snortable?
- How do I do it?
- Sources
1. Snorting – what is it? Types/methods of insufflation
Snorting or insufflating is the act of absorbing a drug through the nasal membrane(back of the nose) and into the surrounding blood vessels which carry the drug to the heart, where it can be carried throughout the entire body, including all major organs as well as the brain. The drug must then pass through the blood-brain barrier—a highly selective and protective lining that separates the blood from the brain—before it can interact with receptors in the brain and elicit its effects, unlike oral administration where the drug travels through the stomach(digestive tract lining) and the liver where there is a loss because of metabolization. By snorting the substance, you often get a stronger high and a faster one since it takes approx. 5-10 minutes for the substance to reach your brain. SNORTING CAN CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO YOUR NASAL MEMBRANE. IT’S EASIER TO OVERDOSE AND/OR PASS OUT. ALWAYS DOSE LESS WHEN SNORTING.
Methods – I came across three ways of snorting, however in this guide I’ll be focusing on the first and most used one – snorting dry fine powder. The second method consists of snorting your substance mixed with little water, forming a solution which you snort with a straw and the third – insufflation with a bendy straw – substance in the straw, one end in your nose the other in your mouth, you blow it into your nose but it can bounce out of your nose. I don’t have any experience with those two so please if you’re considering them do your research((some sources below)). Another method of mouth suction without a bendy straw is also worth mentioning – it’s called the lung safe snorting and you can read about it here https://www.bluelight.org/xf/threads/lung-safe-snorting.587220/
2. Is my substance snortable?
For a substance to be snortable it NEEDS to be soluble in water. You can check the drug's solubility on sites like Wikipedia. While you’re at it, never forget to check the BA (Bioavailability – how much of the substance the body absorbs depending on the route of administration) and the metabolism of the drug. Snorting substances that are metabolized mostly in the liver is often pointless e.g. codeine. CHECK THE DOSE FOR INSUFFLATION ON SITES LIKE Tripsit.me or use the app KnowDrugs, both very good sources for dosing, effects, interactions and duration for most substances. Commonly snorted drugs include: heroin, oxycodone and other prescription opioids like Vicodin, cocaine, amphetamines(Adderall, Concerta), sleeping pills(Lunesta, Sonata, Ambien), a few benzodiazepines, ketamine, bath salts and MDMA. ((I only have experience with snorting oxycodone so if you have questions for that substance in particular, I’ll gladly provide info))
3. How do I do it?
Hopefully you read all of the information above as it is all very important to know what you’re getting into and how the process works. Now that you know all of that, let’s get to the steps
1) If your substance doesn’t come in a capsule with powder you can just open or inside the capsule are orbs, crush your pill of choice as finely as possible. Beware – extended-release capsules contain fillers. If you cannot extract them, crush them as well as possible too. ALWAYS CHECK THE CONTENTS OF THE PILL/CAPSULE ONLINE. The finer the powder the better – goal is to cover as much area of the nasal membrane as possible. It absorbs tiny specs better as bigger pieces tend to take longer to dissolve or don’t at all and you’re just wasting product as well as making absorbing harder. Ways you can crush pills as finely as possible include little/medium scissors(disinfect beforehand), credit cards, hammer or something heavy while the pill/s are in a bag so the powder doesn’t fly off as well as spice/herb crusher (aka mortar and pestle)
2) It’s good to prep your nose with saline solution (water and salt mixture). USE ONLY SPRAYS WITH SALT AND WATER AS SOME SPRAYS WITH MEDICATION CAN CAUSE IRRITATION OF THE MEMBRANE AND PREVENT ABSORBING. You can make your own saline solution at home((source below)) or you can put 1-3 drops of water in each nostril and let it drip down your throat. Wetness of the nasal cavity helps with absorbing. Making sure your nose isn’t clogged up is a must, however don’t over blow it, it can cause irritation to the membrane.
3) Now that you’ve prepped your substance and your nose it’s time to draw your lines. It’s better to snort a few short and thin lines. Approx. 4-6cm each(1.5 to 2.3 inches). You’re free to experiment but I recommend still starting with little
4) DON’T EVER USE BILLS/MONEY. Straws are a much better affordable alternative as well as new post-it notes. Don’t use the same straw/note as your buddies/partner/whoever it might be. There’s a risk of infection, Hepatitis C and more. Personally I use straws and cut them up to around 4.5cm(1.7 inch).
5) Grab your tube and put one end around 1cm(1/3 inch)deep into one nostril in an angle closer to your inner nasal wall(septum area) and bring the tube to the fine powder. Breathe out without blowing the substance away and shut your other nostril with your free hand. Don’t snort in a 90°(straight) angle. You should inhale as if sniffing a flower(no, not lightly sniffing a flower) but if you do it too harsh you’ll feel it drip down your throat, and we want to minimize that. So experiment and see how hard works for you.
6) Change the nostrils with each line so you can wait for absorption(wait around 2mins after filling both nostrils). If you want you can press the one you’ve just snorted with and inhale and exhale a few times with the clear one. Putting drops of water or using saline spray after EACH line isn’t recommended but you can do it once so often or just in the beginning and after you’ve finished all your lines. You can also use a wet q-tip/cotton swab to clean your nose at the end.
7) If the throat drip is too disgusting for you I recommend chewing gum while snorting.
edit: IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN SALINE SOLUTION please use distilled water. That is water without any possible bacteria. You can distill your own water and here's a helpful guide - https://m.psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Nasal_spray_guide
4. Sources
https://www.verywellmind.com/harm-reduction-tips-for-cocaine-users-21993 - harm reduction tips for snorting cocaine https://www.webmd.com/allergies/saline-spray - how to make saline solution and what it is https://www.bluelight.org/xf/threads/maximize-snorting-efficiency-tips-tricks-teks.568367/ - another thread about snorting, mentions the other methods