Why Snorting Xanax Is a Bad Idea

It’s an unfortunate truth that some prescription drugs with helpful intentions become well-known in the public eye only after they’ve become a source of abuse and addiction. One major issue facing society is benzodiazepine addiction and people misusing the drugs. Snorting Xanax, for example, is a dangerous practice that may require the help of a treatment center.  

Through the decades, medications like Valium, Prozac and Fentanyl, along with various other painkillers, antidepressants and opioids, have garnered notorious reputations outside their prescribed purposes, sought out to relieve stress or to experiment with recreationally. 

Alprazolam, known better as Xanax, is one example. A prescription sedative that became a household name after its potent, calming effects, Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, making it a popular choice for people looking for a quick, euphoric escape from stress — creating an illicit allure as a go-to drug for people seeking instant relief. 

In a quest for the perfect high, many people turn to alternate practices like snorting Xanax, compounding the already dangerous effects of abusing the drug, and intensifying both its effects and abusive appeal. Some even try to purchase it illegally online. 

What Is Xanax? 

Xanax is a type of benzodiazepine (aka “benzo”) used to treat anxiety caused by depression, anxiety disorders and also panic disorders, including agoraphobia.  

Benzos like Xanax work to decrease irregular levels of excitement in the brain, telling your brain to release GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that helps calm down your nervous system, reduce overactivity, regulate your mood and encourage relaxation. 

Xanax can be prescribed in various forms, all taken orally. The most common are tablets and extended-release tablets, but you may also find Xanax as a concentrated liquid. The “Xanax bar,” a rectangular-shaped pill that can be broken off into four pieces, is the strongest version, but Xanax can also be found in different colors, shapes and corresponding dosages: 

• White Xanax: The most common color for Xanax, it ranges from 0.25 mg (pill) to 2 mg (bar) 

• Blue Xanax: 1 mg (pill) to 2 mg (bar) 

• Yellow Xanax: 0.25 to 1 mg alprazolam (pill), 2 mg (bar) 

• Green Xanax: Arrives as an oval or triangular pill or rectangular bar, ranging from 0.5 to 3 mg 

• Pink Xanax: pill form, 3 mg alprazolam 

• Peach/orange Xanax: pill form, 0.5 to 2 mg alprazolam 

• Purple Xanax: pill form, 2 mg alprazolam 

Statistics show that benzos, like Xanax, are widely prescribed. According to the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, there are 94 million benzo prescriptions in the U.S., roughly enough for one in three people. 

The Dangers of Snorting Xanax 

Blue Xanax bars and yellow Xanax bars are often associated with misuse because the higher potencies and ease of dividing and breaking them into smaller doses to encourage snorting. 

Do people snort Xanax? Snorting Xanax is a method of alprazolam misuse that involves crushing the bars or pills into a powder and inhaling it through one’s nose, similar to how cocaine is often ingested.  

When taken orally in the prescribed dosage, Xanax is absorbed gradually through the digestive system, ensuring a controlled release into the bloodstream and to the brain — just like you would experience with any medicines or vitamins taken by mouth. It takes about an hour after oral ingestion for Xanax effects to take hold. 

However, snorting the drug means that it bypasses this process, entering the bloodstream immediately through the nasal passages. 

Can you snort Xanax?

Technically, yes. But while the rationale may be that this intensifies the high one feels, studies have disproven that taking the drug nasally doesn’t make the drug reach the brain quicker. The risky tradeoff is that snorting Xanax powder in one swift inhalation is unsafe and can pose some serious, dangerous effects: 

• Nasal damage: The nose and nasal tissues are not designed to handle the fillers and binders found in Xanax tablets, which can inflame the nasal passages and sinuses over time, leading to pain, bleeding and difficulty breathing. 

• Internal organ damage: Alprazolam is designed to be taken as prescribed to ensure the body absorbs it at safe levels. Snorting Xanax powder from one, two or more crushed Xanax bars can promote and exacerbate the risk of heart issues, seizures, kidney failure and even overdose. 

• Risk of dependency: Snorting Xanax increases the likelihood of developing a physical and psychological addiction on the drug; according to statistics, 4.8 million people abuse benzos — including alprazolam — each year — over 29% of prescription abusers. (For wider sedative abuse, 5.9 million people.) 

Recreational misuse and abuse of Xanax isn’t limited to oral intake or snorting. Can you smoke Xanax? Though not as common as the former two examples, weed and Xanax are sometimes combined, presumably with the intention of amplifying the sedative effects of both drugs.  

Side effects of combining alprazolam with marijuana may include feelings of heightened anxiety, paranoia, increased heart rate, confusion and even risk of Xanax overdose. Does Xanax cause weight gain? While alprazolam itself is not directly linked to significant weight gain, it can contribute to changes in appetite when combined with drugs like marijuana. 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Xanax Abuse? 

Knowing what Xanax abuse looks like can prompt you to intervene and get a loved one help. Misuse in people who have been prescribed Xanax can include taking higher doses than normal if they’ve begun to build a tolerance. They may abuse the drug without a prescription, regardless of if they have a history of drug abuse. 

Over time, Xanax abuse can segue from conventional oral ingestion to more dangerous behaviors, like snorting Xanax or combining it with alcohol or other drugs. Here are some signs and symptoms to look for: 

• Physical giveaways, such as drowsiness, slurred speech, impaired cognitive function, confusion and compromised motor skills. 

• Behavioral or personality changes, such as “doctor shopping” to seek multiple prescriptions or to buy Xanax online; secretive behavior to hide a Xanax addiction; increased risk-taking (like driving while using Xanax); social withdrawal; falling behind in work or school; and financial or legal troubles. 

• Psychological symptoms, such as mood swings, depression and increased anxiety and irritability. 

• Risk of tolerance, dependency and addiction, where one needs higher doses of Xanax to achieve the same effects. 

According to research, people who take a benzo, like Xanax, for longer than three to four weeks are likely to develop some level of physical dependence.