I'm still going with my improperly ground up theory. It perfectly explains the phenomena you both describe.
If it didn't work people wouldn't get hooked on that ROA. Snorting is a bizarre, tedious and somewhat unpleasant thing to do, there has to be something motivating them. Also, once you switch from oral it is like you have rediscovered the substance as it is fun again despite tolerance. I know this wasn't your experience but those claims just sound absurd from my perspective.