Snorting Morphine (Insufflation) | MS Contin, Duramorph

Morphine is one of the oldest and strongest pain medications doctors use today. This prescription drug comes from the opium poppy plant and has been used for over a hundred years to treat severe pain. Doctors prescribe morphine under brand names like MS Contin and Duramorph for intense pain from surgeries, injuries, cancer, and serious medical problems. People can take morphine as a pill, liquid, or through an IV in the hospital.

Morphine works by attaching to receptors in the brain that control pain. It blocks pain signals and slows down the entire nervous system. Besides stopping pain, morphine creates a powerful high with feelings of euphoria and deep relaxation. These pleasurable effects make the drug highly addictive. People can become physically dependent and develop cravings even when taking morphine exactly as prescribed. The danger increases when people abuse morphine by crushing extended-release pills and snorting or injecting them to get an immediate, intense high.

Abusing morphine is extremely dangerous. The drug slows down breathing and heart rate, and taking too much can cause these vital functions to stop completely. Mixing morphine with alcohol, benzodiazepines like Xanax, or other opioids makes overdose much more likely.

Side Effects Of Snorting Morphine

When morphine is snorted (intranasal insufflation), the pills are crushed, snorted, and absorbed rapidly through blood vessels in the nose. Effects will be felt almost instantly. When long-acting, higher doses of morphine are crushed and snorted, the effects can be unpredictable if the person did not have a tolerance for that drug.

Morphine’s effects include:

• headache
• dry mouth
• stomach pain
• extreme drowsiness
• dizziness
• painful urination
• fainting
• fever and sweating
• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• hallucinations
• changes in mood
• agitation
• blue or purple skin
• chest pain, rapid heartbeat
• coordination loss
• decrease in sexual desire
• erection troubles
• menstruation troubles
• extreme stiffness of the muscles
• tremors, twitching, and seizures

Physical Effects Of Snorting Morphine

People that regularly snort drugs can do serious damage to their nose and throat. This damage can worsen with the possibility of infection and constant irritation.

Snorting drugs can also cause the following effects:

• runny nose or congestion
• ear and facial pain/swelling
• mouth ulcers
• trouble swallowing
• throat damage and hoarse throat
• damage to the nasal septum and mucous membranes
• permanent changes to the voice

Constantly snorting morphine can cause sores, crusty skin, and bloody noses along with sinus infections.

Long-Term Effects Of Morphine

Prolonged abuse of opioids like morphine is ultimately damaging to long-term physical and mental health. In addition to the nasal and facial damage that happens when snorting drugs, people that snort morphine increase their risk of organ damage and serious overdose effects that include brain damage and death.

These people may experience:

• heart attack
• stroke
• weakened heart valves
• low blood pressure
• irregular heartbeat
• increased risk of cancers and infections
• kidney and liver damage
• constipation
• irritability
• memory loss
• increased risk of chronic depression

People that abuse morphine may experience medical emergencies and chronic issues due to prolonged opioid substance use.

Increased Risk Of Opioid Overdose

Snorting morphine dramatically increases the chances of a fatal overdose. When morphine is snorted, it enters the bloodstream much faster than when swallowed, creating an intense but short-lived high. This quick rush often leads people to take another dose as soon as the euphoria fades. The problem is that even though the high wears off quickly, the body is still processing the first dose. Taking more morphine before the previous dose has cleared the system causes dangerous levels to build up in the body.

The overdose risk gets even higher when morphine is mixed with other substances. Combining morphine with benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium, alcohol, or other opioids like oxycodone can overwhelm the body’s ability to function. These combinations slow breathing to dangerous levels and can cause death. Another common overdose scenario happens when someone stops using morphine for a period of time and then relapses. After being sober, their tolerance drops significantly, but they often take the same high dose they used before quitting. This dose is now too much for their body to handle, leading to overdose.

Morphine Overdose Symptoms Include:

• extreme sleepiness or inability to stay awake
• confusion and disorientation
• agitation or restlessness
• loss of consciousness or coma
• blue-tinted skin, lips, or fingertips
• cold, clammy skin
• slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
• blurred vision or vision problems
• severe nausea and vomiting
• pinpoint pupils (extremely small)

Recognizing overdose symptoms quickly can save a life. If you see someone showing these signs after using morphine or any opioid, call 911 immediately. Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse an opioid overdose if given in time, but professional medical help is still necessary. Never leave someone alone who might be overdosing, even if they seem to be sleeping peacefully. Respiratory failure from opioid overdose can happen, and what looks like sleep can actually be the person slowly losing oxygen.

Treatment And Detox For Morphine Drug Abuse

People that abuse morphine are likely to experience both emotional addiction and physical dependence. Physical dependence means that the body will respond strongly to the drug’s absence with withdrawal symptoms, while addiction may manifest in strong cravings and psychological attachment.

These symptoms may include:

• sweating
• nausea and vomiting
• chills
• insomnia
• increased blood pressure
• racing heart
• sleeping problems
• severe drug cravings
• aching of bones or muscles
• uncontrollable leg movements
• restlessness
• anxiety and depression

People that have decided to stop using morphine when it interferes with their life may need to undergo a period of detoxification, which will result in some withdrawal symptoms.

Medication-Assisted Treatment For Morphine Abuse

Treatment for morphine addiction and withdrawals may include a combination of pharmaceutical interventions and behavioral therapies. When administered according to good medical advice, opioid agonists like methadone and partial opioid agonists like buprenorphine work to ward off cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms.

Some programs administer benzodiazepines to help manage anxiety and physical tremors associated with withdrawals. Some advanced stages of outpatient recovery programs may recommend abuse-deterrent drugs like naltrexone, which causes immediate withdrawal symptoms if a person relapses into opioid drug use.

Inpatient Drug Rehab And Outpatient Treatment Options

Both inpatient and outpatient programs provide a range of behavioral therapies to help fortify their capacity for self-regulation and self-reflection that help with maintaining sobriety. When people have a better understanding of the factors that impact destructive behaviors, they are more likely to recognize and address those factors when they arise.

An addiction that includes opioid drug use is difficult to manage. If you or a loved one is battling substance abuse involving morphine or other opioids, the time to get help is now. Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff