Insufflation

Insufflation (or as it is more commonly called, snorting or railing) is a method of imbibing drugs, and one that is regarded as the most "cool" of any route of administration. In this respect, it is the opposite of rectal administration, which will likely have your not-so-hardcore friends laughing at you, should you choose to admit it in mainstream culture.

As a general rule, snorting is commonly somewhere between oral and rectal in terms of bioavailability. This is not true for many drugs, however; for example, oxycodone is more bioavailable when taken orally (but has less of a rush this way, and if your pill has a time release mechanism which you do not break by crushing it, you will probably experience few effects). Snorting provides a rush generally between rectal and smoking. It is a good compromise, in most cases, between a long, mellow experience and a short but intense one.

How to snort

1. First ensure your drug can be snorted effectively. Not all can. Benzos are a notable exception to this, being far less effective snorted. Morphine is another such drug that fails to do well in the nose; most snorted morphine is actually absorbed by swallowing the drip. Prodrugs such as hydrocodone should never be snorted, as they require metabolization in the liver to turn into their more active forms. Do not snort anything with acetaminophen (APAP/Tylenol).

Reasons not to snort APAP:

1. It burns your nose very badly, can damage the nasal cavity, and will certainly clog your nose.
2. It slows down absorption of the desired drug, as the nose can only absorb so much powder.
3. Because it slows absorption, you lose the advantage of snorting, which is generally increased onset.
4. Hydrocodone (Vicodin) is the most common drug that is packaged with APAP, and it is almost entirely useless to snort. Any effects from snorting hydrocodone are largely placebo.
5. All of your friends will make fun of you for trying to be like Scarface but instead being more like a stupid kid.

1. Put the drugs on a flat surface. A mirror is preferable, as it allows you to spot stray bits of delicious drug.
2. If necessary (as with a pill) crush or shave your drug. Placing the pill in a bag may help with crushing. You may shave your drug using a hose clamp from a hardware store, a corn remover, or any number of ingenious devices.
3. Cut as finely as possible. This stage is essential. The finer your product, the higher you will get, and the less damage you will do to your sensitive nasal cavities. You may use a razor blade to cut. Not yourself you dumb mother fucker.
4. Put the straw in your nose, with the straw tilted slightly towards your face (not straight down).
5. Inhale as hard as you normally breathe through your nose. Drugs that are insufflated are absorbed through the mucous membrane in your nose. If you snort as hard as you see them do in movies, it will go past your mucous membrane and straight into your lungs / throat where it won't get you high. It is generally better to inhale softer rather than harder. Worst case scenario if you snort too soft is some falls out and you try again. Worst case scenario if you snort too hard is you waste it. Your call.
6. Enjoy.
7. You can reactivate some of the drug in your nose by inhaling a drop of clean water on your finger. Wash your hands before doing this. This will also help your nose stay moist.
8. At the end of your experience (end of the night, not after snorting), you may wish to douche your nose with a saline solution. This will help prevent damage. Douching should not be done too regularly, as it can also damage the nose.

Health

Contrary to popular opinion, snorting isn't without health consequences. If you snort too frequently, particularly without cleaning it up, it can cause lasting damage to your nose and mouth[1]. Sharing snorting tubes can also lead to transmission of Hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver problems (imagine never doing drugs again for the rest of your life), as well as MRSA (which often colonizes the nose) and other undesirable conditions. Don't share a tube unless you're comfortable with sharing what's inside the other person's nose. Snorting tubes are extremely easy to make (pen tube, paper wrapped around a pencil, even those plastic tubes inside blunt wraps). Note that using currency is generally considered your worst possible option, as the average bill is far more dirty than the inside of a public toilet. See the snorting tubes article for more information on creating effective snorting tubes.

The Drip

The drip is a horrible taste in the back of your throat you get after insufflation. Try to ignore it, or get something to eat/drink to get the bad taste out of your mouth. The exact flavour of the drip differs from substance to substance.