Effects & Dangers of Snorting, Smoking, or Injecting Xanax

Xanax, also known as alprazolam, is one of many benzodiazepine prescription drugs that providers use to treat panic disorders and anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).1

Many people begin taking Xanax because it brings quick relief from anxiety or panic, and can feel calming in the moment. Like all benzodiazepine drugs, Xanax interacts with GABA_A receptor sites in the central nervous system, enhancing inhibitory signaling and producing dose-related central nervous system depressant effects such as sedation and relaxation.1,4,5

The Xanax you take is typically prescribed in tablet form, with varying strengths depending on your needs. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lists Xanax as one of the most popular types of prescription benzodiazepines encountered in the illicit drug market. Abuse of the drug may occur in several different ways, such as crushing a pill and then snorting it to produce a high.2 People may also smoke or inject the drug.3

Learn more about the risks of snorting, smoking, and injecting Xanax below, or contact our drug and alcohol rehab in Atlanta to learn about treatment for Xanax addiction. 

Why Do People Misuse Xanax (Alprazolam)?

The reason someone may misuse Xanax (alprazolam) is to feel more of its rewarding effects. People may want to feel the high from Xanax faster and more intensely. However, misusing the drug can increase your risk of dependence and addiction. Benzodiazepines have a high risk of misuse, and you should only take them under medical supervision — and only if you have a prescription.4

Effects of Xanax Misuse

If you misuse Xanax, you are putting yourself at risk for several adverse effects. One reason is that misusing it can increase the intensity of side effects, such as 5:

• Slower breathing or respiratory arrest
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Tremors
• Headaches
• Nausea or vomiting
• Digestive problems
• Visual disturbances
• Cognitive impairment

If you combine Xanax with other drugs, your risk for adverse events like overdose, coma, or death may increase. Drug-to-drug interactions can lead to worsening respiratory problems.5 Depending on your method of use, you could face even more Xanax risks.

Can You Snort Xanax?

No, you should not snort Xanax or consume it intranasally. If you take a drug in any way other than how it is prescribed, you are misusing it.6  Crushing and snorting Xanax changes how the drug is delivered to your brain.

Research shows that the faster a drug reaches the brain, the more likely it is to be addicting.⁷ Because snorting delivers the drug to the brain more rapidly than swallowing it, this faster delivery may increase its addictive potential.⁷ Rapid drug delivery has also been shown to affect brain regions that facilitate addiction.⁷

Is Snorting Xanax Dangerous?

Yes, snorting Xanax can lead to dangers because the onset of the effects may come on quicker and stronger.7 When this happens, you can experience benzodiazepine toxicity or overdose. Because the effects can come on so quickly and strongly, there’s a high risk of severe breathing problems and overdose. This is particularly dangerous because it depresses your respiratory rate and breathing..5

If you take too much Xanax and overdose, you can experience a slowed breathing rate to a point at which your brain does not receive the oxygen it needs to function, which risks permanent brain damage, long-term effects, and even death.5

Effects and Risks of Snorting Xanax

Snorting Xanax and other benzodiazepines has become a growing trend, even though it is extremely dangerous. The effects of snorting Xanax can lead to long-term dangers, like the following 8:

• Perforation of the nasal septum
• Nasal congestion
• Nasal obstruction
• Necrosis of the nasal septum
• Ulcerations
• Erosion of the soft palate
• Nasal turbinates
• Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis

Can You Smoke Xanax?

You are not meant to smoke Xanax. When you inhale the drug, it reaches your brain faster than any other method, which is extremely dangerous. When you smoke Xanax, it enters your bloodstream and quickly spreads throughout your body and brain. This rapid delivery makes it more likely you will become addicted.7

Is Smoking Xanax Dangerous?

Yes, smoking Xanax is dangerous. Smoking gets the drug to the brain the fastest, causing an onset of effects to occur the most rapidly. Changing the structure of a drug can alter its chemical reactions and, therefore, alter how it affects your brain and body.7

People may crush and smoke Xanax with other drugs like marijuana, which increases their risk of overdose and addiction.9 A recent study found that smoking drugs was the most common route of administration among people who overdosed.10 Even if you avoid overdosing, you are still at risk for experiencing long-term effects of smoking Xanax.

Effects and Risks of Smoking Xanax

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking illicit drugs has increased by 73.7%.11 Drug-induced medical reactions can occur from benzodiazepine or other drug use, such as drug-induced pulmonary disease, which can have symptoms such as the following12:

• Cough
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Fever
• Bloody sputum

Can You Inject Xanax?

Please never consider injecting Xanax, as it can lead to serious complications. Injecting the drug is the second fastest way for the chemical to reach your brain. When the drug reaches your brain too quickly, the way your brain processes it can be altered. Researchers have found that the brain’s salience network is involved when drugs are injected, and this is associated with a higher risk of overdose and infectious diseases for you.13

Is Injecting Xanax Dangerous?

Yes, anytime you crush a pill, you are changing the structure of the medicine. To inject it, you must dissolve it in a liquid, which also alters its structure. Whether you inject Xanax into your muscles or veins, you can experience a wide range of harms.14

Effects and Risks of Injecting Xanax

IV drug use of any kind comes with the added risk of harm to yourself and others. For example, the effects of injecting Xanax or injecting any drug in general can mean one or more of the following14:

• HIV and blood-borne disease risk (general IV drug use context)
• Bacteremia
• Endocarditis
• Cutaneous infections
• Ulcers
• Abscesses
• Tissue ischemia
• Necrosis
• Possible amputation from severe ischemia

Risk of Xanax Overdose

You can misuse Xanax by taking more than prescribed, without a prescription, or by changing the method of use. All of these Xanax misuses can lead to an overdose. Common overdose symptoms include15:

• Confusion
• Unconsciousness
• Lack of motor control
• Extreme drowsiness
• Respiratory problems
• Seizures

How to Quit Xanax Addiction

Wanting to stop on your own is understandable, especially if you feel ashamed or scared to ask for help. Xanax misuse increases your risk for dependence and addiction and it can be difficult to quit on your own. Because the withdrawal symptoms can lead to physical and mental complications, you must seek addiction treatment help. Withdrawal symptoms for Xanax can be dangerous, which is why it is recommended that you enter a medically supervised detox program where you can safely quit Xanax, achieve stability, and prepare for ongoing treatment.

Treatment programs, like intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization programs, can help you address underlying issues that contribute to your misuse of Xanax. They can also help you get the dual diagnosis treatment you may need to deal with any co-occurring disorders. Most importantly, you can learn how to achieve long-term recovery.

Getting Help for Xanax Addiction in Atlanta

At our Atlanta rehab center, we specialize in treating dual-diagnosis disorders. All of our treatments are carried out by skilled members of staff who have experience in mental health symptoms and medication management. We match each client with a counselor who best suits their needs and employ peer recovery support specialists, substance use counselors, and mental health professionals.

At Empowered Recovery, we offer holistic addiction treatment programs to support patients in quitting Xanax and addressing the underlying reasons that may have caused them to abuse the drug.

If you struggle with Xanax addiction, contact us today to speak to one of our compassionate experts. In doing so, you can take the first steps in your recovery journey.

From getting admitted to rehab to covering the costs of treatment and using your health insurance, our team is here to help you each step of the way. Call us today to get started with treatment or verify your benefits online.

References

1. Pfizer. (2021). Xanax. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018276s058lbl.pdf.
2. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2024). Benzodiazepines. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Benzodiazepines-2024-Drug-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Drug misuse and addiction. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction.
4. Ait-Daoud, N., Hamby, A. S., Sharma, S., & Blevins, D. (2018). A Review of Alprazolam Use, Misuse, and Withdrawal. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 12(1), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000000350. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5846112/.
5. Bounds CG, Patel P. (2024). Benzodiazepines. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470159/.
6. MedlinePlus. (2025). Prescription drug misuse. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://medlineplus.gov/prescriptiondrugmisuse.html.
7. University of Utah. (2025). Drug delivery methods. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/delivery/.
8. Bakhshaee, M., Khadivi, E., Naseri Sadr, M., & Esmatinia, F. (2013). Nasal Septum Perforation due to Methamphetamine abuse. Iranian journal of otorhinolaryngology, 25(70), 53–56. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3846244/.
9. Kelly, B. C., Vuolo, M., Pawson, M., Wells, B. E., & Parsons, J. T. (2015). Chasing the bean: prescription drug smoking among socially active youth. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 56(6), 632–638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.02.008. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4442270/.
10. Tanz, L. J., Gladden, R. M., Dinwiddie, A. T., Miller, K. D., Broz, D., Spector, E., & O’Donnell, J. (2024). Routes of Drug Use Among Drug Overdose Deaths – United States, 2020-2022. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 73(6), 124–130. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7306a2. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38358969/.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Routes of drug use among drug overdose deaths: United States, 2020-2022. Retrieved on 11/11/2025 fromhttps://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7306a2.htm
12. MedlinePlus. (2023). Drug-induced pulmonary disease. Retrieved on 11/11/2025 from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000104.htm
13. National Institute of Health. (2023). Researchers identify a brain network that is uniquely activated through injection vs. oral drug use. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/researchers-identify-brain-network-uniquely-activated-through-injection-vs-oral-drug-use.
14. Wang, E. C., & Chew, F. S. (2015). MR Findings of Alprazolam Injection into the Femoral Artery with Microembolization and Rhabdomyolysis. Radiology case reports, 1(3), 99–102. https://doi.org/10.2484/rcr.v1i3.33. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4891562/.
15. MedlinePlus. (2021). Alprazolam. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a684001.html.
16. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Treatment and recovery. Retrieved on 11/5/2025 from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery.