Inhalant
Inhalant is the name for the type of chemicals that cause intoxication. The NIH (National Institute on Drug Abuse) defines inhalant abuse as "the deliberate inhalation of volatile substances to induce a psychoactive or mind - altering effect".[1][2] Inhalant abuse can cause a lot of adverse effects including sudden death syndrome when used. When a chemical or solvent is inhaled for abuse or fun it is a type of drug called an inhalant.
Using inhalants this way might be called "sniffing", "huffing" or "bagging" in some places. The drugs, which are not made to be safe or used in this way, include household or industrial chemicals. Common inhalants have their own names. Bottles of butyl nitrite may be called a bolt, bullet, climax, locker room, rush. Ampules of butyl nitrite are called poppers, snappers, or whippets.[2] Sometimes when a user sets fire to exhaled lighter fluid, which can go back into the lungs and burn the alveoli in there, it is called fire-breathing or "torch".[2]
Side effects
[change | change source]Side effects usually include: euphoria, depression, hallucinations, fainting, spasms, damage to nerves, organ damage (such as the brain), or death, when used.[2] While a person is high on inhalants, they are at risk of hurting themselves because of their altered state of mind. Many solvents contain substances called denaturants (making the product denatured) which stop the user taking the drug or from it working. Usually, solvents that are used in the household are easy to get. In many cases, the effects come quickly but last only a few minutes and have to be used repeatedly to stay high.
As well as tolerance, abusing inhalants can lead to physical harm to the body such as to the brain and nerves. Fluorosis can arise (come from) abusing inhalants which contain fluoride, even though most of these are banned, because they are environmental hazards and for depleting the ozone layer. Fluorosis is abnormal (or not normal) build-up of the bone, with fluoride. The bone growth is not calcium and is out of shape, deforms the body, and is weaker than calcium, also causing side effects. side effects from fluoride-containing inhalants includes fluorosis,[1] a build-up of "plaque" that is like calcium on the teeth.
Side effects from inhaling fluoride-containing products (such as canned air or computer duster) are similar to the side effects (also called adverse reactions) from excessive (too much) toothpaste consumption,[1] probably by eating it. Because inhalants are taken in the mouth they can cause damage to the teeth. This can cause a build-up on the teeth or other bones, for example on the shoulder or other parts of the skeletal system. Fluoride-containing inhalants displaces oxygen in the lungs like other inhalants [source?] Nowadays most of these are banned and many other products use other chemicals, which also cause the same high or similar.
When taking some inhalants, fumes are inhaled at room temperature, because the chemical releases those vapors even at room temperature. They can be taken from compressed canisters of the chemical, but to take some drugs (from very compressed canisters), like with taking nitrous oxide, the gas can be extremely cold and come out very fast; this is dangerous for the lungs.
Inhalants that are often abused include glue, nail polish remover (acetone), paint thinner, jenkem, lighter fluid, or pressurized aerosol can fumes (like canned air horns). It does not include drugs that are sniffed after burning or heating such as tobacco, cannabis, or crack cocaine, even though these drugs are inhaled as smoke or vapor.[3][4] The National Institute on Drug Abuse lists spray paints, correction fluids, felt-tip markers, and cleaning fluids as products with inhalant chemicals in them.[2]
Society and culture
[change | change source]Inhalants are most often abused by young adolescents.[2] Products which are used as inhalants are often legal, but their sale to people under the age of 18 is restricted or banned, and sellers are expected to look for the signs of a product being purchased to be abused. In some countries, certain inhalants are banned. Even though inhalant drugs are often used outside of hospitals to get high, they still have legitimate applications in medical applications such as in a surgery room with different forms of nitrous (like NO). In the past, chemicals like chloroform were used in surgery for pain relief and anaesthesia. These have been replaced by other (safer) inhalants, and the use of nitrous has come a long way in medicine since it was first used.
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 3 Barceloux, Donald G. (2012-03-09). Medical Toxicology of Drug Abuse: Synthesized Chemicals and Psychoactive Plants (1 ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781118105955. ISBN 978-0-471-72760-6.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Abuse, National Institute on Drug (--). "Inhalants | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)". nida.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ First, Michael B.; Tasman, Allan (2010-02-08). Clinical Guide to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-74520-5.
- ↑ Lowinson, Joyce H. (2005). Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 978-0-7817-3474-5.
