Intravenous Injection of Alcohol by Drug Injectors: Report of Three Cases

Contingent and non-contingent effects of low-dose ethanol on GABA neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area

“…Thus, IV delivery methods have been used to avoid the aversive properties of oral ethanol, as they allow for a more rapid onset of the pharmacological effects of ethanol, a more direct assessment of its reinforcing effects, and eliminate the need for lengthy sweetener substitution procedures (Gass and Olive, 2007). Notwithstanding the fact that the typical route of administration of ethanol in humans is oral, there are reports that some poly-drug users will also self-administer ethanol intravenously (Mahdi and McBride, 1999). Although IV ethanol does not accurately model human ethanol consumption, it is considered as a more direct way to study the reinforcing effects of ethanol given its direct delivery to the bloodstream, rapid onset of effect, and the distinct advantage of more accurate and reliable correlations between behavioral responding and the timing of the neuronal activity.…”

Reinstatement of Ethanol‐Seeking Behavior Following Intravenous Self‐Administration in Wistar Rats

“…In summary, we demonstrated that outbred Wistar rats will maintain self‐administration of ethanol when given via the IV route, and that following extinction of this behavior, ethanol‐seeking can be reinstated by response‐contingent presentation of ethanol‐associated cues, ethanol priming injections, and administration of the anxiogenic drug yohimbine. Although ethanol is not typically self‐administered via the IV route in humans, there are reports of such behavior in the literature (Mahdi and McBride, 1999). We propose that the IV self‐administration and reinstatement paradigm may be a suitable alternative to the standard rodent models of relapse that utilize oral self‐administration.…”

“…Successful IV self‐administration of ethanol has been reported in mice (Blokhina et al., 2004; Grahame and Cunningham, 1997; Grahame et al., 1998), rats (Altshuler et al., 1980; D’Souza et al., 2003; Grupp, 1981; Grupp and Perlanski, 1982; Hyytia et al., 1996; Ikegami et al., 2002; Kuzmin et al., 1999; Lyness and Smith, 1992; Numan, 1981; Oei and Singer, 1979; Sinden and Le Magnen, 1982; Smith and Davis, 1974; Takayama and Uyeno, 1985), and nonhuman primates (Broadbear et al., 2005; Carney et al., 1976; Deneau et al., 1969; Karoly et al., 1978; Winger and Woods, 1973), although several investigators have reported that IV ethanol fails to serve as a reinforcer in rats (DeNoble et al., 1985; Numan et al., 1984). Interestingly, there are case reports that some human polydrug abusers will also self‐administer ethanol via the IV route primarily for the rapid onset of its psychoactive effects (Mahdi and McBride, 1999).…”

A Case Report of Non-beverage Alcohol Abuse by Cooking Extract

“…Of these exposures, 382 were treated in a health care facility, 303 were intentional exposures, and three deaths were reported (Mowry, Spyker, Cantilena, Bailey, & Ford, 2013). Some of the more creative ways alcohol is being abused involve inhalation (Balster, Cruz, Howard, Dell, & Cottler, 2009), intravenous injection (Mahdi & McBride, 1999), and mucosal absorption through tampons, enemas (Mian, McFadden, Valenstein, & Shehab, 2005), and "eyeballing," or pouring vodka directly into the eye (Bersani et al, 2015). In addition, alcohol ingestion has taken on nontraditional forms such as alcohol-infused candies, whipped cream, gelatin shots, watermelon, and popsicles.…”