Inhalants

What are inhalants?

Inhalants are chemicals that people inhale (breathe in) to cause a pleasurable feeling or effect (“high”). The chemicals are found in common household and workplace products that produce fumes (vapors). When you inhale these fumes, your brain absorbs them quickly, producing a quick “high.” Chronic use of inhalants can result in irreversible side effects, including brain damage, coma and even death.

Although you can inhale other substances, the term “inhalants” refers to substances that can only be inhaled. Slang terms for inhaling include huffing, bagging and dusting.

How do people use inhalants?

When people use inhalants, they breathe them in through their nose or mouth in a variety of ways. They may:

• Sniff or snort fumes from a container or dispenser.
• Spray aerosols directly into their nose or mouth.
• Place a chemical-soaked rag over their mouth or nose.

People may also inhale substances from a balloon or a plastic or paper bag. This is called “bagging.” Some use inhalants by pouring them onto a shirt collar or their sleeves and sniffing them periodically. The “high “from inhalants only lasts a couple of minutes, so users prolong it by repeating sniffing over several hours.

Who uses inhalants?

Young children and teenagers use inhalants most often. They often try inhalants before moving on to other substances because inhalants are easier to get. The peak age of inhalant use is 14 to 15. But children as young as 5 to 6 years of age also use the drugs.

In many cases, inhalant use declines by 17 to 19 years of age. But drug use can continue into adulthood. Inhalant use is more common in people assigned male at birth (AMAB) than people assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Higher rates of inhalant use have been reported in people with a history of:

• Physical or sexual abuse.
• Criminal behavior.
• Depression.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Family conflict.
• Violence.
• Substance use disorders.

Rates are also higher in people of lower income, those with mental health conditions, people living in rural communities and in communities with high unemployment rates.

Types of inhalants

There are more than 1,000 common household and workplace products that people use as inhalants. People who use inhalants find that they’re convenient, inexpensive, easy to hide and legal. There are four general categories of inhalants:

• Volatile solvents.
• Aerosols.
• Gases.
• Nitrites.

Volatile solvents

Volatile solvents are liquids that become gas easily at room temperature. People use them for household and industrial purposes. Examples of volatile solvents include:

• Paint thinners.
• Paint removers.
• Degreasers.
• Gasoline.
• Rubber cement.
• Lighter fluid.
• Glues.
• Nail polish removers.
• Dry cleaning fluids.
• Correction fluids.
• Felt tip markers.

Aerosols

Aerosols suspend both solids and liquids in a pressurized container. You can release them in a spray, like:

• Spray paints.
• Spray deodorant.
• Hair spray.
• Vegetable oil spray.
• Fabric protector spray.

Gases

Gases include medical anesthetics, as well as gases used in household or commercial products. Medical anesthetics include:

• Chloroform.
• Halothane.
• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

Nitrous oxide is the most misused of these gases and can be found in whipped cream dispensers and propellant canisters (often referred to as “whippets”). Nitrous oxide is also found in products that boost octane levels in racing cars. Other household products containing gas are butane lighters, propane tanks and refrigerants.

Nitrites

Nitrites are chemical compounds found in leather cleaners, liquid aromas and room deodorizers. They’re commonly known as “poppers” or “snappers.” Nitrites act directly on your central nervous system. They dilate your blood vessels and relax smooth muscles. The ability of nitrites to relax smooth muscle has made their use popular for sexual enhancement. Nitrites include:

• Cyclohexyl nitrite.
• Isoamyl (amyl) nitrite.
• Isobutyl (butyl) nitrite.

What are some street names for inhalants?

Some common street names for inhalants include:

• Chroming.
• Gas/gasoline.
• Glue/gluey.
• Huff.
• Laughing gas.
• Poppers.
• Rush.
• Snappers.
• Sniff.
• Whippets.

What are the short-term effects of inhalants?

Inhalants affect everyone differently. The effects of inhalants on your body can depend on various factors, including:

• Your overall health, body size and weight.
• If you’ve used the drug before (tolerance).
• If you’re using other drugs at the same time.
• How much of the drug you’re using.
• Type of inhalant.
• Amount of fresh air you breathe in while inhaling.
• Amount of physical activity you get before and after inhaling.

Most inhalants affect your central nervous system. They can slow down your brain activity. Short-term effects of inhalants may include:

• Feeling less inhibition/increased risk-taking.
• Lack of body control.
• Slurred or distorted speech.
• Loss of coordination.
• Euphoria (feeling “high”).
• Dizziness/lightheadedness.
• Nausea.
• Headaches.
• Red or runny nose, eyes and throat.
• Confusion.
• Hallucinations.

What are the overdose effects of inhalants?

Intoxication on inhalants only lasts for a few minutes, so people who use these drugs often try to prolong their “high” by repeatedly inhaling over the course of several hours. This kind of inhalant use is very dangerous. It can lead to loss of consciousness and even death.

A condition called “sudden sniffing death” can happen after a single time using an inhalant by an otherwise healthy person. This type of overdose death is especially associated with the use of propane, butane and chemicals in aerosols.

Inhalant use can also lead to death by asphyxiation from:

• Repeated inhalations: This can cause high concentrations of inhaled fumes to displace the available oxygen in your lungs.
• Suffocation: When inhaling fumes from a plastic bag placed over your head, you block air from entering your lungs.
• Choking: You can swallow and choke on your own vomit after inhaling substances.

What are the long-term effects of inhalants?

If you regularly use inhalants, it can lead to long-term effects, including:

• Irritability and depression.
• Memory loss.
• Reduced attention span.
• Acne around your mouth and lips.
• Pallor (pale appearance).
• Weight loss.
• Fatigue.
• Excessive thirst (polydipsia).
• Loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and hearing.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Stomach ulcers.

Severe effects can include:

• Tremors.
• Heart muscle damage.
• Liver and kidney damage.
• Delayed behavioral development in children and young adults.
• Brain damage.
• Coma.
• Death.

Do inhalants cause hypoxia?

Yes. By displacing air in your lungs, inhalants deprive your body of oxygen. This condition is called hypoxia. Hypoxia is when the tissues of your body don’t get enough oxygen. Your cells need oxygen to produce energy and help your tissues and organs to function properly. While some of your tissues can get used to temporary dips in oxygen levels, long-term hypoxia can lead to organ damage.

Are inhalants addictive?

Yes. If you regularly use inhalants, you can become dependent on the drug quickly. If you’re dependent on a drug, you may find that using it is more important than anything else in your life — including school, work and your social life. Over time, you may develop a tolerance to the drug, which means you’ll need to take more of it to get the same effect. Some people develop a condition called inhalant use disorder.