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Inhalants
act on the brain and destroy the outer lining of nerve cells,
making it impossible for those cells to communicate. Symptoms
of use include dilated pupils, blisters or rash around the nose
or mouth, chronic cough, nausea and headaches, disorientation,
chemical odor on breath. After only six months of use, the brain,
lungs, nerves, liver, kidneys and bones may be permanently damaged.
| Using
inhalants even one time can put you at risk for: |
|
sudden
death
|
suffocation
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visual
hallucinations and severe mood swings
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numbness
and tingling of the hands and feet
|
|
Prolonged
use can result in:
|
|
headaches,
muscle weakness, abdominal pain
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decrease
or loss of sense of smell
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nausea
and nose bleeds
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hepatitis
|
|
violent
behaviors
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irregular
heartbeat & palpitations
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liver,
lung, and kidney impairment
|
involuntary
passing of urine and feces
|
|
irreversible brain damage
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nervous
system damage
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dangerous
chemical imbalances in the body
|
breathing
difficulty
|
Legal Risks
|
|
There
are laws to regulate inhalants. Depending on state and
local laws, and the type of inhalant used, a user may
risk a fine and even a prison term. Try putting that on
a college or job application. In several states that we
checked, teens did get busted when parents turned them
into the police. FYI. |
The user
can also suffer from this syndrome. This means the user can
die the first,10th, or 100th, time he or she uses.
If someone
you know is huffing, the best thing to do is remain calm and
seek help. Agitation or confrontation may cause the user to
become violent, experience hallucinations, or suffer heart
dysfunction. If the person is not breathing, start rescue
breathing. Make sure the room is well ventilated, open any
windows and 
call 911 in the U.S. and
Canada. (For other countries, see our First Aid page.)
The number for the National Inhalant
Prevention Coalition is
1-800-269-4327
Can
Inhalant Use Be Treated?
Yes,
but
treatment facilities for inhalant use are often hard to find.
Users suffer a high rate of relapse and require thirty to
forty days or more of detoxification after heavy use. Users
suffer withdrawal symptoms which can include hallucinations,
nausea, tremors, excessive sweating, headaches, and delirium
tremens.
If someone
you know is seeking help for inhalant abuse, you can contact
the:
National
Inhalant Prevention Coalition
1-800-269-4327
emailto:nipc@io.com
2904 Kerby Lane
Austin, TX 78703 -- For general information and information
on treatment centers. Through a network of nationwide contacts,
NIPC can help find a center in your area that treats inhalant
use.
Back
to Part One
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