Dangers of Snorting or Injecting Suboxone

Suboxone Usage

Suboxone is a medication used for the treatment of opioid use disorder and consists of two ingredients, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a semisynthetic opioid that is less potent than other drugs of the same class, such as heroin and Vicodin.¹ Taking buprenorphine allows individuals in recovery to avoid the intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms that make quitting opiates so difficult.

Buprenorphine does not create nearly the same high that drugs like heroin do. Even if someone misuses this substance by taking more than directed, there’s a point at which the high levels off, and no matter how much is taken, the individual will not become more high.

Taking this medication while reducing or stopping intake of a more powerful opioid has allowed many people to recover from opioid addiction. They can then be weaned off the buprenorphine, as the medication is not nearly as addictive since it doesn’t produce the intense high like that of other opioids.

Misuse of Suboxone

It is still possible to misuse buprenorphine, as it is an opioid and therefore produces a high and has addiction potential. This is especially true for those who do not have a history of opioid misuse or addiction. Without a drug tolerance, buprenorphine can produce a fairly powerful high, especially if it’s crushed to be snorted, or dissolved into a solution to be injected.

However, Suboxone contains naloxone, a medication used in the treatment of opioid overdose.² Naloxone blocks the opioid receptors in the brain so that any type of opioid will be rendered completely ineffective. Those suffering from an overdose can be saved by the quick application of this medication. In Suboxone, the naloxone is inactive as long as it remains in pill form. However, the act of crushing or dissolving the tablets activates the naloxone so the buprenorphine will not work.

If a person misuses Suboxone to avoid withdrawal symptoms due to long-term dependency on a powerful opioid, then the activation of the naloxone will produce instant and intense withdrawal as all of the opioid content in their system is completely blocked. Though opioid withdrawal can be quite unpleasant, it is not usually dangerous if clinically treated and managed, though severe cases can produce symptoms that are a risk to one’s health.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms include:³

Snorting Suboxone

Snorting Suboxone can be dangerous. If you or a loved one has Suboxone or another opioid in their system, snorting Suboxone can trigger withdrawal. Since Suboxone is an opioid blocker, the naloxone component within Suboxone is released causing opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Injecting Suboxone

In addition to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, injecting Suboxone can cause injection-specific complications such as abscess, cellulitis, and other injection-site infections.⁽⁴⁾