Inhalants

Inhalants are common household, industrial and medical products that produce vapours, which some people inhale (breathe in) to make them feel intoxicated or high.

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Inhalants Include:

  • Aerosol spray
  • Chrome-based paint
  • Paint and paint thinner
  • Felt-tipped pens
  • Correction fluid (e.g. ‘Liquid Paper’)
  • Gas from lighters or barbecues (butane)
  • Cleaning fluid
  • Glue
  • Petrol
  • Nitrous oxide

Common Names:

  • Glue
  • Gas
  • Sniff
  • Huff
  • Chroming
  • Poppers

How are they used?

Inhalants are inhaled through the nose or mouth. They may be sprayed into a plastic bag, poured into a bottle or soaked onto a cloth or sleeve before being inhaled. Sometimes they are inhaled directly from the container or are sprayed directly into the mouth or nose. This method is very dangerous because it can cause suffocation.

Inhalants Overdose

Dangerous Signs:

If you inhale a substance many times or use a particularly strong inhalant, you could overdose. If you have any of the symptoms below, call an ambulance straight away by dialing 999 or 112:

  • Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Chest pain
  • Hallucinations
  • Blackout, seizures and coma Sudden sniffing death
Inhaling aerosol sprays, cleaning and correction fluids, and model airplane cement has been known to cause sudden death. It is believed that chemicals in these products can cause heart failure, particularly if the person is stressed or does heavy exercise after inhaling.

Common Down:

In the days after inhalant use, you may experience:

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Mental numbness

Most of these long-term effects can be reversed if use is stopped. However, some inhalants, such as cleaning products, correction fluid, aerosol sprays and petrol can cause permanent damage. Some chemicals can build up in the body and damage the stomach, intestines, brain, nervous system, kidneys and liver.

Side Effects of
Inhalants

There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries risk.

The effects of taking Inhalants with other drugs including over-the-counter or prescribed medications can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Inhalants affects everyone differently, based on:

  • A person’s size, weight and health
  • Whether the person is used to taking it
  • Whether other drugs are taken around the same time
  • The amount taken
  • The strength of the drug
  • Amount of fresh air breathed while sniffing
  • Amount of physical activity before and after sniffing

Sniffing can cause:

  • Intoxication
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Injuries
  • Delirium
  • Seizures
  • Pneumonia from inhaling vomit
  • Dependence
  • Brain damage
  • Coma
  • Abnormal heart rhythm
  • Sudden death
  • Asphyxiation (if using a plastic bag)
Sniffing is always risky, but some situations make it even more dangerous:
  • Sniffing in an enclosed space or indoors
  • Running or doing other physical activity after sniffing (could cause death due to cardiac sensitisation)
  • Mixing sniffing with medicines or illegal drugs
  • Sniffing when the person has other health problems>/li>

Long-term effects:

  • Irritability and depression
  • Memory loss
  • Reduced attention span and ability to think clearly
  • Pimples around the mouth and lips
  • Pale appearance
  • Tremors
  • Weight loss
  • Reduced growth potential (height)
  • Tiredness
  • Excessive thirst
  • Loss of sense of smell and hearing
  • Problems with blood production, which may result in anaemia, irregular heartbeat, heart muscle damage
  • Chest pain and angina
  • Indigestion and stomach ulcers
  • Liver and kidney damage
  • Needing to use more to get the same effect
  • Dependence on inhalants
  • Financial, work and social problems

INHALANTS + ALCOHOL, BENZODIAZEPINES OR OPIATES

Causes huge strain on the body, and can affect breathing rate and may increase the risk of passing out and suffocating or choking on vomit.

Mixing Inhalants with other Drugs