Oxycodone is an opioid painkiller available in the United States via prescription only. While it’s helpful for those in pain, the medication can also cause a euphoric high. Sometimes, people misuse the drug for that effect.[1]
Anyone who takes more of their medication than a doctor recommends—or uses the drug without a prescription—is misusing it. But some people also misuse the drug by ingesting it in a way other than prescribed orally, such as by snorting, smoking or injecting the drug.
Between 1999 and 2021, nearly 280,000 people died in the United States from overdoses involving medications like oxycodone.[9] People who misuse the drug may buy it from street dealers, and their products are often contaminated with deadly ingredients like fentanyl.[9] Anyone misusing oxycodone should get help to quit.
Oxycodone pills typically come in two formulations, and both are taken orally. One delivers the full analgesic load at once (immediate release) and the other slowly (time release).
These are some of the ways people misuse oxycodone pills, along with the dangers associated with each method:
To snort oxycodone, users crush their pills into a fine powder and inhale the powder through the nose. The powder passes through the cells of the nose into the bloodstream more rapidly than it would if taken by mouth, creating a high after a few minutes.
Little is known about the health effects of snorting drugs like oxycodone. In one study, a person who snorted another opioid (heroin) for many years developed life-threatening nasal bleeding that required hospitalization. Researchers warn that this practice could lead to other health problems not yet identified.[15]
Other researchers say snorting oxycodone has led to nasal complications like tissue death.[16]
Some people crush their oxycodone tablets and then smoke the powder. Researchers say this method of drug use can help people avoid the risks associated with shared needles.[4] However, it’s not entirely risk-free.
Smoking oxycodone can result in upper respiratory tract and lung damage, inhalation pneumonitis and bacterial pneumonias. In a study conducted in 2013, researchers found a close connection between smoking opioids and developing a chronic lung condition like COPD.[17]
Some people crush their oxycodone tablets, mix the powder with water and inject the solution into blood vessels.[5,6] People who inject oxycodone, or any drug more generally, are at heightened risk of the following problems:
Oxycodone misuse can be fatal. While talking about the issue can be awkward, the conversation you have could literally save a life.
Follow these tips to discuss oxycodone misuse with someone in need:[10]
People who misuse oxycodone are at heightened risk of opioid use disorder (OUD). Those with an OUD may feel sick between doses of oxycodone and may continue to use in order to prevent withdrawal. This leads to what can seem like an unbreakable cycle.
Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) involves the use of drugs like Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) to relieve withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. MAT programs can help you move through withdrawal and sustain your recovery. [8]
Bicycle Health offers a telemedicine MAT program. Meet with your doctor in convenient video appointments and pick up your prescription at a local pharmacy. Contact us to find out more about how MAT could help you discontinue oxycodone use.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
