Artwork courtesy of KidsPeace
Q: What are inhalants?
A: Inhalants are breathable chemicals that produce psychoactive (mind-altering) vapors. People do not usually think of inhalants as drugs because most of them were never intended to be used as such. They include solvents, aerosols, some anesthetics and other chemicals. Examples are model airplane glue, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids and gasoline. Aerosols used as inhalants include paint, cookware coating agents, hair spray and other spray products. Anesthetics include halothane and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Amyl nitrite ("snappers" or "poppers") and butyl nitrite ("locker room" or "rush") also are among the inhalants that are abused.
Q: Who is most likely to abuse inhalants?
A: Young people, especially between the ages of 7 and 17, are most likely to abuse inhalants, in part because inhalants are readily available and inexpensive. Sometimes children unintentionally misuse inhalant products commonly found around the house. Parents should keep these substances, like medicines, away from young children.
Q: How are inhalants used? What are the results?
A: Although different in makeup, nearly all abused inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down the body's functions.
Initial effects include nausea, sneezing, coughing, nosebleeds, feeling and looking tired, bad breath, lack of coordination and a loss of appetite. Solvents and aerosols also decrease the heart and breathing rate and affect judgment.
The strength of these effects depends on the experience and personality of the user, how much is taken, the specific substance inhaled and the user's surroundings. The "high" from inhalants tends to pass fairly quickly, but can last several hours, if used repeatedly.
Breathing vapors deeply, or using inhalants frequently over a short period of time may result in losing touch with one's surroundings, a loss of self-control, violent behavior, unconsciousness or death. Using inhalants may cause nausea and vomiting, and if a person is unconscious when vomiting occurs, death may result from aspiration.
Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of solvents or aerosol sprays may produce heart failure and instant death! Sniffing may cause death the first time or any time! High concentrations of inhalants may cause death from suffocation by displacing the oxygen in the lungs. Inhalants also may cause death by depressing the central nervous system so much that breathing slows until it stops.
Death from inhalants is usually caused by a very high concentration of inhalant fumes. Deliberately inhaling fumes from a paper bag or rag greatly increases the chance of suffocation. Even when using aerosol or volatile (vaporous) products for their legitimate purposes, i.e., painting, cleaning, etc., it is wise to do so in a well-ventilated room or outdoors.
Long-term inhalant use can cause weight loss, fatigue, electrolyte (salt) imbalance and muscle fatigue. Repeated sniffing of concentrated vapors over a number of years may cause permanent damage to the nervous system, which means greatly reduced physical and mental capabilities. In addition, long-term sniffing of certain inhalants may damage the liver, kidneys, blood and bone marrow.
Tolerance, which means the sniffer needs more and more each time to get the same effect, is likely to develop from most inhalants when used regularly.
As in all drug use, taking more than one drug at a time multiplies the risks. Using inhalants while taking other drugs that slow down the body's functions, such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills or alcohol, increases the risk of death from overdose. Loss of consciousness, coma or death may result.
