Is it illegal to crush and sniff your own medication?

Answer 1

It may not be illegal, but it is ill-advised to do this. Most pills are made to be taken whole and may have coatings that protect tissues from the effect of direct contact with the chemicals in the drugs. If you sniff it instead of take it orally as directed, then the effects can be altered by the rate of absorption or tissue can be seriously damaged if sniffed where it can coat your mucus tissue instead of being taken where it is intended to be absorbed into the blood stream through the small intestine, or the drug may need the contact with the stomach acids to make it effective. Crushing the little balls inside capsules of medicines is almost always contraindicated, since they may be time-released medications and you could overdose if you crush those which prevents the timed release and you will get the entire dose all at once.

There is no reason to try to do this. If the pills, capsules or tablets are difficult for you to swallow or are causing stomach symptoms, contact the prescribing health care professional to get a new prescription for a different drug or a different administration route.

If you are trying this for "recreational" or chemical abuse purposes, then obviously, you are playing a deadly game. Don't do it.