Association Between Smoking or Snorting and Hepatitis C

"Several studies have demonstrated that non-injection drug users have a higher anti-HCV prevalence than the general population, with estimates ranging from 5 to 29%.^6–8 Two studies have found an association between intranasal use of cocaine and anti-HCV,^9,10 and researchers have isolated HCV RNA in nasal secretions and implements used for drug inhalation.¹¹ Blood-contaminated non-injection implements such as straws could transmit infection via damaged nasal mucosa.¹² Similarly, other research demonstrated low viral titers of HCV in saliva,¹³ lending plausibility to shared oral drug utensils such as crack pipes as a route of transmission. While some studies have shown an association with sharing non-injection implements or non-injection drug use and HCV infection,^1,9,13 others have not shown a significant association.^7,14,15"