What are they? Inhalants are ordinary household products like glue, white-out, nail polish remover, paint, etc? whose vapors can be inhaled to achieve a high sensation. Other commonly inhaled substances include all aerosol spray cans and the freon found in air-conditioners. Most of these substances can be legally purchased, but it is ILLEGAL to use them in an inappropriate way.  In total, there are over 1400 products that can be used to get high. Street Names: Huff, bolt, rush, locker room, poppers, snappers How is it taken?

• Huffing  (soaking a rag with the substance, and placing it on/near the mouth/nose)
• Bagging (spraying the substance in a bag, and breathing in the vapors)
• Directly from the container

The Scoop on inhalants Inhalants rank #4 in popularity for use.  Inhalants are the most widely used drug by adolescents aged 7 - 17. Use among young people is so high because inhalants are very common, and can be found just about anywhere. Accidental overexposure is another problem associated with inhalants, so read all labels when working with any type of chemical.  Inhalants cause the most body damage when compared to all other drugs. Short Term Effects of inhalants:  You may be killed as a first-time user, see below!

• Irregular heart beat
• SSD (Sudden Sniffing Death)
• Suffocation
• Brain damage
• Lung damage
• Hallucination
• Numbness
• Mood swings
• Red eyes
• Nose-bleeds

Long Term Effects of inhalants:

• Loss of smell/taste
• Liver, Lung, Heart, and Kidney damage
• Hepatitis
• Central nervous system/brain damage
• Bone marrow damage
• Mental and physical impairment

Tolerance: Tolerance to inhalants does develop, which forces a person to take deeper breaths of stronger chemicals.  Withdrawal:  Withdrawal symptoms can include irritability and behavorial changes such as loss of appetite, or disinterest in friends, family, and daily activities (job, hobbies, sex, etc?). Warning Signs of Inhalant Use: Someone may be using inhalants if they have frequent nose-bleeds, constantly have a chemical odor, appear to be drunk, have lost their sense of smell, and are disoriented. Other warning signs may be a malfunctioning air-conditioner, or an abundance of filled aerosol cans that don?t spray. Inhalants and Children: Children and adolescents aged 7-17 are the age group most likely to use and abuse inhalants. The reason for this is simple- inhalants are cheap, legal, and can be found in all households. Because they are not normally thought of as drugs, many assume these substances to be harmless, but to the developing body, these chemicals are extremely dangerous. 20% of all deaths related to inhalant abuse occur with a first-time user.

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Nitrous Oxide

Negative Effects of Nitrous Oxide use include:

• nausea, loss of motor control (falling down), and possible coldness in throat, which can lead to suffocation or  damage of vocal chords

Excessive or prolonged used can damage bone marrow and the nervous system by interfering with the action of vitamin B-12. What are the specific problems with using nitrous oxide?

• unless taken with at least 20% oxygen, hypoxia (decreased oxygen content of the blood), can be induced
• if the concentrations are mixed with room air, inhaled O2 concentrations drop to low levels and the hypoxia may result in irreversible brain damage

Still going to use?

• **TAKE PRECAUTIONS!**
• Dispense it in balloons, not through a gas mask or directly from the tank.
• Do not walk around, or stand where you may lose your balance.  (Most deaths from Nitrous Oxide occur when the user passes out unconscious and hits his or her head on the ground).

 

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Sources:  1.  Drug Free Resource Net. "Inhalants"  2.  Inaba, Darryl S., and William E. Cohen. Uppers, Downers, All Arounders.  3.  "Inhalants", CNS Productions: 1993.  4.  Students Against Drugs and Alcohol. "Inhalants" http://www.sada.org/inhalants.html  6.  Tips for Teens About Inhalants. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  7.  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration  8.  http://www.drugfreeamerica.org