What is Hot Railing?

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), 50% of people aged 12 or older have abused drugs at least once.[1] There are many different ways people abuse drugs, from smoking and snorting to swallowing pills and injecting them into their veins. While any type of substance abuse is dangerous, a few administration methods increase your risk of experiencing life-threatening effects.

Aside from IV injection, hot railing is one of the most dangerous ways to abuse drugs. Hot railing involves snorting the vapor that comes from heating up drugs.

What Does Hot Railing Mean?

Hot railing is a term used to describe a method of administration most common among meth users. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2.5 million people reported using methamphetamine in 2021.[2]

While many people who abuse meth smoke, snort, or inject the drug, some people hot rail it.

When someone hot rails meth, they take the following actions:

• First, they crush up the meth to create a fine powder
• Next, they light one end of a straight glass pipe with a blowtorch
• Finally, they use the hot end of the pipe to snort the vapor that comes from the crushed meth

People who hot rail meth are looking for a fast and potent high without having to inject it. Individuals can become addicted to both the meth and the action of setting up a hot rail. This might be the reason people begin to regularly hot rail meth instead of just smoking or snorting it.

What are the Effects of Hot Railing Meth?

When you hot rail meth, it only takes about 7 to 10 seconds to feel the effects because the substance reaches your brain and bloodstream rather quickly. Even though the drug affects you quickly, you can still experience effects for 6 to 15 hours after using it.[3]

If you hot rail meth, you might experience the following effects:[4]

• An intense rush of euphoria
• Increased alertness and concentration
• Excessive sweating and increased body temperature
• Loss of appetite
• Paranoia
• Engaging in repetitive tasks
• Impulsive behavior
• Irritability and agitation
• Aggressive or violent behavior
• Confusion
• Mood swings
• Nose bleeds
• Irregular heartbeat and chest pain
• Seizures

Additionally, hot railing meth may lead to addiction because of the way meth affects dopamine in your brain. Using it just a couple of times can result in physical and mental dependency.

Is Hot Railing Meth Dangerous?

Hot railing is one of the most dangerous ways to abuse meth. Many people engage in this method of administration because they believe it is safer than injecting the drug. Unfortunately, abusing meth in this manner is just as dangerous.

The most common dangers associated with hot railing meth include:

Nasal Issues

Snorting any type of substance can lead to a variety of nasal issues. When you are snorting the hot vapor of methamphetamine, the issues you experience can be severe. Some of the short-term risks of hot railing meth include nasal blockages, swelling in the inner linings, and issues with respiratory tracts.

If you hot rail meth frequently for a long time, the nasal issues you experience can be even worse. You could develop holes in your septum and serious infections that require medical intervention.[5] Additionally, because the nose leads directly to the lungs, hot railing meth can lead to extensive lung damage.

Tooth Decay

Many people decide to hot rail meth because they are worried that smoking the drug will ruin their teeth. Unfortunately, hot railing does not prevent tooth decay. In fact, using meth in any manner (including hot railing) can lead to severe dental issues.

Hot railing meth can lead to the following types of dental issues:

• Tooth abscesses
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Loss of bone in the jaw

Psychosis

When you hot rail meth, you experience a strong rush of dopamine in your brain. After repetitive meth use, your brain might not be able to produce dopamine on its own. This can lead to the development of the symptoms of psychosis.

Hot railing meth can cause the following symptoms of psychosis:

• Paranoid thinking
• Aggressive behavior
• Disorganized thoughts
• Delusions
• Visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations

Overdose

Lastly, hot railing meth is one of the most potent ways to abuse the drug, thereby increasing the risk of overdose. Meth overdoses can be life-threatening and require emergency medical attention.

The symptoms of a meth overdose include:[3]

• Difficulty breathing
• Heart attack, stroke, or seizures
• High or low blood pressure
• High body temperature
• Kidney failure
• Intense stomach pain
• Changes to personality
• Changes in the level of alertness
• Loss of consciousness
• Paranoia and aggressive behavior
• Paralysis

Find Help for Meth Abuse and Addiction

If you or a loved abuse regularly abuse meth, it’s time to consider seeking professional help. Whether you smoke, snort, inject, or hot rail meth, drug rehab can provide you with the tools and support you need to maintain long-term recovery.

At South Carolina Addiction Treatment Center, we pride ourselves on providing effective psychiatric care throughout the entirety of treatment. Our treatment services are catered toward discovering and implementing solutions for sustained, long-term recovery. With the love and support of your family and loved ones, we make sure to treat your addiction by understanding the root reasons behind it. We do everything in our power to help you succeed in breaking the cycle of meth addiction, and know that with the right kind of help, everyone is capable of healing.

To learn more about our meth rehab center, contact South Carolina Addiction Treatment today.

References:

1. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS): Drug Abuse Statistics, Retrieved September 2023 From https://drugabusestatistics.org/
2. The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA): What is the scope of methamphetamine use in the United States, Retrieved September 2023 From https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-scope-methamphetamine-misuse-in-united-states
3. The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Methamphetamine Toxicity, Retrieved September 2023 From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430895/
4. The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA): What are the immediate (short-term) effects of methamphetamine, Retrieved September 2023 From https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-are-immediate-short-term-effects-methamphetamine-misuse
5. The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Nasal Septum Perforation Due to Methamphetamine Abuse, Retrieved September 2023 From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3846244/