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Among teenagers, inhalants are used more frequently than cocaine or LSD but less frequently than marijuana or alcohol. Inhalant use is particularly a problem among children aged 12 and younger. Inhalants are found in many common household products.

The product may be sprayed into a plastic bag and inhaled (bagging, sniffing, or snorting), or a cloth soaked with the product may be placed next to the nose or in the mouth (huffing).

Symptoms and Complications

Users of solvent inhalants rapidly become intoxicated. Dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, and a reduced ability to stand and walk (unsteady gait) have been observed. These effects can last anywhere from a few minutes to more than an hour. The user may also become excited—not because the chemicals are stimulants. Death can occur, even the first time one of these products is directly inhaled, because of severely depressed breathing or an irregular heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmia).

Common Substances That Contain Solvent Inhalants Adhesives Airplane glue Rubber cement Polyvinyl chloride cement Aerosols Spray paint Hair spray Solvents and gases Nail polish remover Paint remover Paint thinner Typing correction fluid and thinner Fuel gas Cigarette lighter fluid Gasoline Cleaning agents Dry cleaning fluid Spot remover Degreaser

Some people, usually teenagers or even young children, ignite the inhaled fumes with matches, producing a fire that travels right through the nose and mouth into the lungs. The severe burns to the skin and internal organs can be fatal. Others have died of oxygen deprivation (asphyxiation) because the inhaled spray coated the lungs, preventing oxygen from entering the bloodstream.

Chronic use or exposure to these chemicals (including exposure in the workplace) can severely damage the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs. In addition, the bone marrow may be damaged, affecting red blood cell production and causing anemia.

Abused Inhalants That Have Medical Uses Amyl nitrite, an inhalant, has a legitimate medical use. By widening (dilating) the arteries of the heart, amyl nitrite allows more oxygen to reach the heart muscle, thus relieving chest pain caused by coronary artery disease. Two closely related drugs, butyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite, are not used medically. Amyl nitrite can only be sold by prescription. Butyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite can be sold legally for commercial purposes relating to their use as air-fresheners, but their noncommercial use is banned. All three of these nitrite drugs briefly lower blood pressure, produce dizziness, and cause flushing, followed by a rapid heartbeat; these effects combined may produce a sense of excitement and euphoria. People also use these drugs because they believe that they will enhance sexual pleasure. When used in conjunction with sildenafilSome Trade Names VIAGRA (a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction), these nitrite drugs may severely lower blood pressure, which can cause fainting, heart attack, or stroke. Nitrous oxide is a gas (laughing gas) that has legitimate medical use as an anesthetic. It is also used as a propellant in cans and dispensers of whipped cream. Nitrous oxide is sometimes abused because it produces a sense of euphoria and a pleasant dreamlike state. Prolonged exposure to nitrous oxide can cause numbness and weakness in the legs and arms, which can be permanent.

Treatment

Treating children and teenagers who use inhalants involves evaluating any organ damage. It also involves education and counseling to address mental health and sociologic problems. Recovery rates from inhalant use are among the poorest for any mood-altering substance.

Last full review/revision February 2003