Inhalants

What are Inhalants?
When most people think of drug abuse they think of marijuana, cocaine, acid or heroin. They don't often 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 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 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 thousand other everyday household products are abused by kids to get a quick high. Most kids think these products are harmless, but 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 that 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 inhale--things like typewriter correction fluid, air-conditioning refrigerant, felt tip markers, spray paint, air freshener, butane and even cooking spray.

What is Huffing or Bagging?
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 breathes 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 to eject 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 he reaches the seventh grade. Some have tried them while they were on school property.

Signs of Use
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 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 it. 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, and time and space distortions. These effects can last from 5 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 and Behavior Risks

Impaired judgment
Confusion
Fright
Hyperactivity
Anxiety
Acute psychosis
Increase in violent or aggressive behavior

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, visual hallucinations, severe mood swings, numbness and tingling of the hands and feet

Prolonged use can result in:
headaches, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, decrease or loss of sense of smell, nausea, nose bleeds, hepatitis,
violent behaviors, irregular heartbeat and palpitations, involuntary passing of urine and feces, irreversible brain damage, nervous system damage, dangerous chemical imbalances in the body, breathing difficulty and liver, lung and kidney impairment

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.

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome
The user can also suffer from this syndrome. This means the user can die the first, tenth or hundredth time he or she uses.

What Can YOU Do If Someone Is Huffing and in Physical Crisis?
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.

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 30 to 40 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.