What Are Inhalants?

When most people think of drug abuse they think of marijuana, cocaine, acid, or heroin, they often don't think of paint thinner, nail polish remover, or air freshener. Some of the most lethal drugs are easier to obtain than illegal ones. They are right in your house; in your bathroom and in your kitchen.

We can find them in the drawers of our desks, in our cabinets, in schools, and lined up on grocery store shelves. Things like paint, magic markers, white out, lighter fluid, hair sprays, glues, propane, and kerosene. Things that are cheap and easy to obtain, but when inhaled can prove fatal.

These products and other strong-smelling items are being abused by children and teenagers around the world because they are readily available and inexpensive. These and a 1,000 other everyday household products are abused by kids to get a quick high. Most kids think these products are harmless, they are NOT!

The reality is that hundreds of children each year die from inhalant use, sometimes on their first try.

What is inhalant use?

Inhalant use refers to the intentional breathing of gas or vapors with the purpose of reaching a high. Inhalants are legal, everyday products which have a useful purpose, but can be misused. You're probably familiar with many of these substances -- paint, glue and others. But you probably don't know that there are more than 1,000 products that are very dangerous when inhaled -- things like typewriter correction fluid, air-conditioning refrigerant, felt tip markers, spray paint, air freshener, butane and even cooking spray.

Huffing, sniffing or bagging is when someone puts an aerosol or solvent in an almost closed container, such as a sandwich bag, paper bag, or soda can and breaths in the fumes. Some people increase the effect by inhaling from a plastic bag breathing through the nose and mouth; Aerosols are usually put between the teeth with the top off ejecting the spray down the throat.

Inhalants are the third most abused substances among 12 to 14 year olds in the United States, coming in right behind alcohol and tobacco. As many as one in five students in the United States has tried inhalants by the time they reach the seventh grade, some while they are on school property.

Some of the signs of inhalant abuse include: red or runny eyes and/or nose, spots and/or sores around the mouth; unusual breath; drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance; correction fluid (white out) on fingernails; paint or marker stains on clothing or skin.

How Do Inhalants Work?

Inhalants pass through the lungs and quickly enter the bloodstream, then they reach the brain in seconds. Inhalant vapors react with fatty tissue in the brain, literally dissolving them. So, chronic inhalant abusers may permanently lose the ability to walk, talk and think. Inhalants also slow down the body's reactions and distort the thinking process. The effects last only a few moments and when they wear off, the user may be irritable and depressed.

Users of inhalants say they make them feel less inhibited. The effects are similar to alcohol and other sedatives. High dosages can produce laughing, feelings of floating, illusions, time and space distortions. These effects can last from five minutes to an hour, depending on the substance used and the amount.

Physical Risks

Double vision

Loss of coordination

Severe headaches

Nausea or vomiting

Irregular heartbeat

Heart problems

Death -- prolonged use of inhalants kill brain cells, shut down liver and kidney function and damage bone marrow

Mental Health & Behavior Risks

Impaired judgment

Confusion

Fright

Hyperactivity

Anxiety

Acute psychosis

Increase in violent or aggressive behavior

To Part Two... Inhalant Use Chart...