Dangers of Inhalants
Inhalants are everyday household products that produce chemical vapors people inhale
to produce a high. About 6 percent of children in the United States have tried inhalants
by fourth grade, according to the National Institute of Medicine’s National Institute
on Drug Abuse. Inhalants are commonly abused by children ages 11 and younger because
they are readily accessible, cheap and legal.
Inhalants fall into four general categories:
- Volatile solvents – liquids that vaporize at room temperature (paint thinners/removers,
correction fluids, felt-tip markets, dry-cleaning fluids, gasoline)
- Aerosols – sprays that contain propellants and solvents (spray paints, deodorant,
hair sprays, vegetable oil sprays, fabric protector sprays)
- Gases – used for medical anesthetics (ether, chloroform, nitrous oxide) and in household
or commercial products (butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers,
refrigerants)
- Nitrites – commonly knows as “poppers” or “snappers” (cyclohexyl nitrite, isoamyl
nitrite, isobutyl)
Inhalant abusers can sniff or snort fumes from containers, spray aerosols directly
in the nose or mouth, “huff” fumes from an inhalant-soaked rag stuffed into the
mouth, sniff fumes from substances sprayed into paper or plastic bags, or inhale
from balloons filled with nitrous oxide.
Inhaled chemicals travel rapidly from the lungs through the blood to the brain and
other organs, causing an alcohol-like effect that produces slurred speech, clumsy
movements, dizziness and euphoria. Other effects might include lightheadedness,
hallucinations, delusions, and after heavy use, drowsiness and a lingering headache.
Inhaled nitrites dilate blood vessels, increase heart rate and produce a sensation
of heat and excitement.
Inhalants’ effects are felt quickly and usually only last a few minutes. Because
the high is brief, abusers often inhale repeatedly over several hours. This can
lead to the most serious hazard for inhalant abusers – asphyxiation, suffocation
or choking.
Chronic exposure to inhalants causes widespread and long-lasting damage to the nervous
system and other vital organs. The toxic chemicals damage parts of the brain that
control learning, movement, vision, and hearing. Damage to the heart, lungs, liver,
and kidneys may be permanent.
