Can modafinil be inhaled? | What you should know

Can you inhale modafinil? Nootropic researchers may be curious about this, because inhalation as a delivery method generally offers a faster onset of effects.

However, the answer is a resounding NO.

This article will review why you should not inhale modafinil.

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What is modafinil?

Modafinil is a wakefulness agent first developed in France and owned by Cephalon Labs. It is approved by the FDA to promote alertness in people with sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and shift work sleep disorder.1].

Many unauthorized prescriptions are written by doctors for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and addiction, as well.2, 3].

This is because modafinil also provides other cognition-enhancing effects in addition to promoting alertness and wakefulness. It can improve concentration, attention, decision-making skills, and task performance.4, 5].

For this reason, modafinil is also widely considered one of the best nootropic “smart drugs.”

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Side effects and safety of modafinil?

The most commonly reported side effects of modafinil by nootropic researchers include insomnia, loss of appetite, and headache.

To relieve insomnia, it is important to take modafinil early in the day. This will provide the long-lasting alertness and wakefulness needed to be productive, and with modafinil's 12- to 15-hour half-life, most of the agent's effects will have worn off by the time it's time to go to sleep.6].

Additionally, many subjects report that the cause of their loss of appetite appeared to be due to improvements in concentration that kept them so engrossed in the task at hand that they forgot to eat.

Finally, many researchers say that drinking plenty of water helped relieve headaches associated with modafinil.

Here is a more complete list of possible side effects from the US National Library of Medicine [7]:

• "headache
• dizziness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• drowsiness
• nausea
• diarrhea
• constipation
• gas
• acidity
• loss of appetite
• unusual tastes
• dry mouth
• excessive thirst
• nosebleed
• redness
• perspiration
• tight muscles or difficulty moving
• Back pain
• confusion
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body
• burning, tingling, or numbness of the skin
• difficulty seeing or pain in the eyes

Additionally, they list the following serious side effects that require medical attention:

• "rash
• blisters
• peel skin
• mouth ulcers
• urticaria
• itching
• hoarseness
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• chest pain
  fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
• frantic and abnormally excited mood
• hallucinate (see things or hear voices that do not exist)
• anxiety
• depression
• thinking about killing you or hurting you”

Modafinil may also interact with certain medications, so it should be used with caution and with doctor approval in people with existing medical conditions or who are taking prescription medications.

Additionally, children under 18 years of age and pregnant or breast-feeding women should not use modafinil unless prescribed.

Finally, modafinil should not be mixed with other stimulants, depressants, alcohol, illicit drugs, or high doses of caffeine.

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Snorting modafinil?

Drugs that are commonly inhaled, such as cocaine, an illicit drug, are taken this way because they provide almost immediate effects, which is generally the unique benefit of this method of administration.

Here are several reasons why we do not recommend inhaling modafinil, even if it means that subjects will have to wait longer to feel the effects.

Not developed for inhalation

Modafinil is available as a sublingual pill or tablet (that dissolves under the tongue), but primarily as a pill that you swallow.

For this reason, it contains some fillers necessary to stabilize the drug in pill form. For this reason it should not be inhaled.

Additionally, it would need to be ground into a very fine powder before inhaling, which would also reduce the convenience of such a delivery method.

Powder form not available

Sun Pharmaceuticals used to offer a powder form of modafinil, but it is no longer offered. In fact, none of the modafinil manufacturers we know of produce modafinil powder.

If it were intended to be inhaled, it would probably be available in powder form.However, this lack of powder availability should speak volumes, considering the high demand for Modafinil as a prescription medication and nootropic.

Dosing Concerns

It is also difficult to measure and administer a dose for inhalation.

First, a way to grind the pills into a consistently fine powder is required. It also requires a milligram scale for accurate measurements. Finally, the subject must be able to inhale the entire dose.

There is a lot of room for error in these steps, so it is much better to simply take a 100 mg or 200 mg pill. For smaller doses, a pill splitter can split pills into two easily and accurately.

insoluble water

Modafinil is not water soluble, meaning it will not dissolve in water. This can make inhaling extremely painful and uncomfortable.8].

Shipping Concerns

Powdered forms of modafinil, if obtained, may not arrive. While small quantities of pills can pass discreetly through customs and shipping, powders (particularly bulk purchases) will be under much more intense scrutiny and are more likely to be seized.

Adulteration

Finally, because we do not know of any reputable manufacturer that produces modafinil powder, subjects should not rely on modafinil powder available online. It is likely to be inauthentic or adulterated and could be potentially dangerous.

All of this is to say that no, modafinil should not be inhaled under any circumstances. For subjects who are concerned about the timing of the effect, sublingual tablets are a better alternative. Otherwise, the best and safest option is to take modafinil pills as early in the day as possible to allow for the waiting period before they take effect.This will provide the benefit of making it easier to fall asleep at night, as the medication is more likely to have been eliminated from the system by bedtime.

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Can modafinil be inhaled? | Verdict

Modafinil is a powerful wakefulness agent that also provides nootropic benefits.

However, it should not be inhaled. This is because it was not developed for inhalation, it is not water soluble and there is no powder form available. However, even if a subject finds a form called powdered modafinil to purchase, there are shipping issues, problems reaching the proper dosage, and the product is likely adulterated and potentially unsafe.

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