Inhalants: Types, Signs of Use, Health Effects and Prevention

Inhalants are substances people breathe in (inhale) to get high. Other things, such as alcohol, can be inhaled too, but they are not called inhalants because they can also be taken another way. Inhalants are substances that can be misused only by inhaling them. Using them to get high, even once, can do serious harm to the brain and body, and can kill.

Types

Inhalants are often cheap products found at home or at work. They contain dangerous chemicals that are psychoactive (mind-altering) when breathed in. There are four main types:

• Solvents: liquids that turn to gas at room temperature, such as paint thinner, nail polish remover, gasoline and glue.
• Aerosol sprays: spray paint, spray deodorant, vegetable oil sprays.
• Gases: from lighters and whipped cream dispensers, and laughing gas.
• Nitrites: similar to a prescription medicine for chest pain, and sometimes called "poppers." They come in small bottles, sometimes labelled "air freshener," "leather cleaner" or "liquid aroma," and are usually used not to change mood but to improve sexual function.

Slang names include gluey, huff, laughing gas, rush, snappers and whippets (or whippits).

How they are used

People breathe in the fumes through the nose or mouth — "sniffing," "snorting," "bagging" or "huffing," depending on the substance and equipment. The high usually lasts only a few minutes, so people often inhale again and again over several hours.

Who uses them

Mostly young children and teens. Because inhalants are easier to get, they are often tried before other substances.

Signs of use

• chemical smells on the breath or clothes;
• paint or other stains on the face, hands or clothes;
• hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers, and rags or clothes soaked in chemicals;
• red or runny eyes or nose;
• seeming drunk or disoriented;
• slurred speech;
• nausea or loss of appetite;
• inattention, poor coordination, irritability and depression.

Health effects

Most inhalants act on the central nervous system and slow brain activity.

• Short-term: slurred or distorted speech, loss of body control, euphoria (a "high"), dizziness, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there).
• Long-term: liver and kidney damage, loss of coordination, spasms in the arms and legs, delayed behavioural development, brain damage.

Even a single use can lead to an overdose, which can cause seizures or stop the heart, and can be fatal.

Addiction

Addiction to inhalants is rare but can happen with repeated use. Stopping can bring withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, trouble sleeping and mood changes. Behavioural therapy may help.

Prevention

Children and teens who use inhalants to get high are more likely to try other drugs and to develop a substance use disorder later in life, so prevention matters. Parents can talk with their children about inhalants, explain the dangers, and give them tips for handling peer pressure if someone asks them to try.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Inhalants," drawing on the National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://medlineplus.gov/inhalants.html
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