An inhaler for delivering dry powder medicament contained in a capsule, the inhaler comprising: a capsule chamber sized to fittingly hold said capsule within a capsule-holding volume; at least one needle within the inhaler, the needle comprising a gas lumen having at least one gas outlet; and an actuating mechanism configured to move with respect to one another the capsule chamber and the at least one needle; wherein the actuating mechanism is actuatable to prime the inhaler by movement of the needle with respect to the capsule chamber along a path to introduce a portion of the needle across a first boundary location of the capsule-holding volume, and into an interior of the capsule-holding volume; and wherein the actuating mechanism continues actuated movement of the needle along the path with respect to the capsule chamber to move said portion of the needle from said interior to a second boundary location of the capsule-holding volume, and then to place said portion of the needle to extend past the second boundary location to exit the capsule-holding volume; characterized in that: further continued actuation of the actuating mechanism retracts the portion of the needle including the at least one gas outlet, back into the interior and away from the second boundary location; and wherein the inhaler is configured to disperse the dry powder medicament from an exit aperture left open by the retracted needle in the capsule wall at the second boundary location, while the portion of the needle including the at least one gas outlet remains retracted back into the interior, and when the inhaler is primed with the capsule placed within the capsule-holding volume. a capsule chamber sized to fittingly hold said capsule within a capsule-holding volume; at least one needle within the inhaler, the needle comprising a gas lumen having at least one gas outlet; and an actuating mechanism configured to move with respect to one another the capsule chamber and the at least one needle; wherein the actuating mechanism is actuatable to prime the inhaler by movement of the needle with respect to the capsule chamber along a path to introduce a portion of the needle across a first boundary location of the capsule-holding volume, and into an interior of the capsule-holding volume; and wherein the actuating mechanism continues actuated movement of the needle along the path with respect to the capsule chamber to move said portion of the needle from said interior to a second boundary location of the capsule-holding volume, and then to place said portion of the needle to extend past the second boundary location to exit the capsule-holding volume; further continued actuation of the actuating mechanism retracts the portion of the needle including the at least one gas outlet, back into the interior and away from the second boundary location; and wherein the inhaler is configured to disperse the dry powder medicament from an exit aperture left open by the retracted needle in the capsule wall at the second boundary location, while the portion of the needle including the at least one gas outlet remains retracted back into the interior, and when the inhaler is primed with the capsule placed within the capsule-holding volume.