Drug injection can lead to a dependency by both physical and psychological means — and develops more quickly than with other methods of taking drugs. In recreational-use drug culture, preparation may include mixing the powdered drug with water to create an aqueous solution, and then the solution is injected. This act is often colloquially referred to as "slamming", "shooting [up]", “smashing”, "banging", "pinning", or "jacking-up", often depending on the specific drug subculture in which the term is used (i.e. heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine). There are a variety of reasons why drugs would be more attractive to inject rather than take through other
Nanoparticles for drug delivery to the brain particles until the desired consistency is acquired. This manufacturing process is already scaled and in use in the food industry, which therefore makes it more appealing for researchers and for the drug delivery industry. Liposomes can also be functionalized by attaching various ligands on the surface to enhance brain-targeted delivery. Another type of lipid-nanoparticle that can be used for drug delivery to the brain is a cationic liposome. These are lipid molecules that are positively charged. One example of cationic liposomes uses bolaamphiphiles, which contain hydrophilic groups surrounding a hydrophobic chain to strengthen the boundary of the nano-vesicle containing the