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INHALANTS

Facts

People who use inhalants breathe in the fumes through their nose or mouth, usually by "sniffing," "snorting," "bagging," or "huffing." It's called different names depending on the substance and equipment used.

Volatile solvents are liquids that become a gas at room temperature. They are found in:

• paint thinner, nail polish remover, degreaser, dry-cleaning fluid, gasoline, and contact cement
• some art or office supplies, such as correction fluid, felt-tip marker fluid, glue, and electronic contact cleaner

Aerosols are substances under pressure that are released as a fine spray. They include:

• spray paint, hair spray, deodorant spray, vegetable oil sprays, and fabric protector spray

Gases may be in household or commercial products, or used in the medical field to provide pain relief. They are found in:

• butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers, and refrigerant gases
• anesthesia, including ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide (commonly called “laughing gas”).

Nitrites are often sold in small brown bottles labeled as:

• organic nitrites, such as amyl, butyl, and cyclohexyl nitrites and other related compounds
• amyl nitrite, used in the past by doctors to help with chest pain and sometimes used today to diagnose heart problems
• nitrites, now banned (prohibited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission) but can still be found, sold in small bottles labeled as “video head cleaner,” “room odorizer,” “leather cleaner,” or “liquid aroma.”


​Appearance

​The Effects of Inhalants

 ​The lungs absorb inhaled chemicals into the bloodstream very quickly, sending them throughout the brain and body. Nearly all inhalants (except nitrites) produce a "high" by slowing down brain activity. Nitrites, in contrast, expand and relax blood vessels.

The Brain
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• Damage to nerve fibers. Long-term inhalant use can break down the protective sheath around certain nerve fibers in the brain and elsewhere in the body. This hurts the ability of nerve cells to send messages, which can cause muscle spasms and tremors or even permanent trouble with basic actions like walking, bending, and talking. These effects are similar to what happens to people with the disease multiple sclerosis.
• Damage to brain cells. Inhalants also can damage brain cells by preventing them from getting enough oxygen. The effects of this condition, also known as brain hypoxia, depend on the area of the brain that gets damaged. The hippocampus, for example, is responsible for memory, so someone who repeatedly uses inhalants may be unable to learn new things or may have a hard time carrying on simple conversations. If the cerebral cortex is damaged, it will affect a person's ability to solve complex problems and plan ahead. And, if the cerebellum is affected, it can cause a person to move slowly or be clumsy

Inhalants can cause the following health effects:

• confusion
• upset stomach
• slurred speech
• lack of coordination
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• hallucinations/delusions
• headache
• intense feelings of joy
• sudden sniffing death due to the heart stopping
• death from suffocation, seizures, coma, or choking

​Signs & Symptoms of Use

• Slurred speech.
• Lightheadedness.
• Intense feelings of happiness.
• Agitation.
• Headaches

• Drowsiness.
• Dizziness.
• Excitability.
• Loss of coordination.
• Upset stomach.
• Blurred or double vision