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National Drug Intelligence Center        Product No. 2003-L0559-010 June 2003 |  NDIC Home  |  Fast Facts Index  |  NDIC Products  |

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Inhalants Fast Facts Questions and Answers       - What are inhalants?      - How are they abused?      - Who abuses inhalants?       - What are the risks?      - What are they called?      - Are inhalants illegal? Other products of interest Contact us  National Drug Intelligence Center a component of the  U.S. Department of Justice.

What are inhalants? Inhalants are chemical vapors that produce mind-altering effects when users inhale them by sniffing or snorting. These chemical vapors are found in more than 1,000 household products and typically belong to several broad categories: volatile solvents (paint thinner, gasoline, correction fluid, glue), aerosols (paint, deodorant, hair spray), gases (ether, chloroform, nitrous oxide), and nitrites (cyclohexyl nitrite, amyl nitrite, and butyl nitrite). Products Used as Inhalants Volatile Solvents Aerosols Gases Nitrites Paint thinner Paint Nitrous oxide Cyclohexyl nitrite (found in room deodorizers) Correction fluid Deodorant Ether Amyl nitrite (sold in small capsules) Gasoline Hair products Chloroform Butyl nitrite (sold in small bottles) Felt-tip markers Cooking products     Nail polish remover Fabric protector     Rubber cement                How are they abused? Individuals may inhale chemical vapors directly from open containers or from rags that have been soaked in a chemical substance then held to the face or stuffed in the mouth. Abuse of inhalants is commonly referred to as "huffing." Other methods include spraying aerosols directly into the nose or mouth or pouring inhalants onto the user's collar, sleeves, or cuffs and sniffing them over a period of time. Fumes also may be inhaled from substances sprayed or deposited inside a paper or plastic bag--a process known as bagging. Users also inhale from balloons filled with nitrous oxide or other devices, commonly referred to as snappers and poppers, in which inhalants are sold. To Top   Who abuses inhalants?    Individuals of all ages use inhalants, but teenagers and young adults account for a large portion of the inhalant abuse in the United States. Data reported in the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicate that an estimated 1.9 million U. S. residents aged 12 and older used inhalants at least once in the past year. The survey further revealed that 833,000 individuals aged 12 to 17 and 729,000 individuals aged 18 to 25 used inhalants in the past year. Inhalant abuse among high school students is a particular concern. Nearly 12 percent of high school seniors in the United States used an inhalant at least once in their lifetime, and nearly 5 percent used an inhalant in the past year, according to the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future Survey.       What are the risks? Side effects associated with the abuse of inhalants include dizziness, strong hallucinations, delusions, belligerence, apathy, and impaired judgment. Long-term abusers experience additional problems including weight loss, muscle weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression. Individuals who cease abuse of inhalants often endure withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, rapid pulse, hand tremors, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, hallucinations, and grand mal seizures. Chronic inhalant abuse may cause serious and sometimes irreversible damage to the user's heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Brain damage may result in personality changes, diminished cognitive functioning, memory impairment, and slurred speech. Death can occur after a single use of inhalants or after prolonged use. Sudden sniffing death (SSD) may result within minutes of inhalant abuse from irregular heart rhythm leading to heart failure.    What are they called? Street Terms for Inhalants Amys Bang Bolt Boppers Bullet Climax Glading Gluey Hardware Head cleaner Hippie crack Huff Kick Locker room Moon gas Pearls Poor man's pot Poppers Rush Snappers Whippets    To Top       Are inhalants illegal? The common household products that are misused as inhalants are legally available for their intended and legitimate uses. However, 46 states have enacted legislation designed to prevent products that are commonly used as inhalants from being sold to minors.    Other products of interest: Check out Fast Facts on: Crack cocaine Crystal methamphetamine GHB and analogs Heroin Jimsonweed Ketamine Khat LSD Marijuana MDMA Methamphetamine PCP Powdered cocaine Prescription drugs Yaba Also available from NDIC: Huffing--The Abuse of Inhalants Prescription Drug Abuse and Youth Drugs, Youth, and the Internet For more information on illicit drugs check out our web site at: www.usdoj.gov/ndic.  Call 814-532-4541 to request NDIC products.    Contact us Our addresses: National Drug Intelligence Center 319 Washington Street, 5th Floor Johnstown , PA 15901-1622   Telephone: 814-532-4601   FAX: 814-532-4690 NDIC Washington Liaison Office 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001 McLean , VA 22102-3840   Telephone: 703-556-8970   FAX: 703-556-7807 NDIC publications are available on the following web sites: ADNET  http://ndicosa LEO  home.leo.gov/lesig/ndic RISS  ndic.riss.net INTERNET www.usdoj.gov/ndic To Top

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