It’s a scenario that, unfortunately, isn’t as uncommon as we’d like. Maybe you’ve found an empty can of whipped cream in your teen’s room when you know they don’t particularly like dessert, or perhaps an unusual number of empty glue tubes. These seemingly innocent household items can sometimes be a sign of something more serious: the misuse of inhalants.
So, what exactly are we talking about when we say inhalants? These are everyday chemicals, often found right under our sinks or in the garage, that give off fumes. When someone breathes these fumes in, usually on purpose, the chemicals hit the brain fast. This can cause a very quick, but very fleeting, feeling of being “high.” It’s that rapid effect that can be so deceptive, because the long-term picture, especially with ongoing use, can be incredibly bleak – think serious, sometimes permanent, damage to the brain and body.
Folks, especially youngsters, can get pretty inventive, and sadly, that applies here too. They might:
- Sniff or snort the fumes straight from a container or dispenser.
- Spray aerosols, like hairspray or deodorant, right into their nose or mouth. Not good.
- Place a chemical-soaked rag over their mouth or nose.
- Breathe in fumes from a balloon or a plastic or paper bag – this is often called “bagging.”
- Sometimes, they’ll even pour the substance onto a shirt collar or their sleeves to sniff throughout the day.
Because that “high” from inhalants fades so quickly, often in just a few minutes, the temptation is to keep doing it over and over for hours. And that’s where things get even more dangerous.
It’s a tough truth, but inhalants are often one of the first things young people experiment with. Why? Well, they’re usually easy to find and cheap. We see this peak around the early to mid-teens, maybe 14 or 15 years old, though heartbreakingly, I’ve heard of kids as young as 5 or 6 trying them.
Often, use drops off as they get a bit older, say 17 to 19. But not always. It can definitely carry on into adulthood. And, generally speaking, we tend to see it a bit more in males.
There are also certain situations that, unfortunately, can make someone more vulnerable. Things like:
- A history of physical or sexual abuse – a really tough start in life.
- Getting into trouble with the law.
- Struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide.
- A lot of conflict at home, or exposure to violence.
- If there’s already a pattern of substance use disorders in their life or family.
We also see higher rates in people of lower income, those with mental health conditions, and people living in rural communities or in communities with high unemployment rates.
The Everyday Items: Types of Inhalants
It’s a bit shocking, really. There are over a thousand products, many of which you probably have at home or see at work, that can be misused as inhalants. Their appeal to users often lies in how convenient, inexpensive, easy to hide, and, in many cases, perfectly legal they are to buy. We generally group them into four main types:
Volatile Solvents
These are liquids that turn into a gas pretty easily, even at room temperature. Think about:
- Paint thinners
- Paint removers
- Degreasers
- Gasoline (yes, really)
- Rubber cement
- Lighter fluid
- Glues
- Nail polish removers
- Dry cleaning fluids
- Correction fluids
- Felt tip markers
Aerosols
These are those pressurized cans that suspend solids and liquids and spray out a mist. Things like:
- Spray paints
- Spray deodorant
- Hair spray
- Vegetable oil spray
- Fabric protector spray
Gases
This group includes medical anesthetics, but also gases in household or commercial items. For instance:
- Medical gases like chloroform, halothane, or nitrous oxide (you might know this as “laughing gas”). Nitrous oxide, especially from whipped cream dispensers – sometimes called “whippets” – is misused quite a bit. It’s also in products meant to boost octane levels in racing cars.
- Other common ones are butane lighters, propane tanks, and refrigerants.
Nitrites
These are a bit different. They’re chemical compounds you might find in things like leather cleaners, liquid aromas, or room deodorizers. They often go by slang names like “poppers” or “snappers.”
Nitrites act directly on your central nervous system. They dilate your blood vessels and relax smooth muscles. This muscle-relaxing effect has unfortunately made their use popular for trying to enhance sexual experiences. Nitrites include:
- Cyclohexyl nitrite
- Isoamyl (amyl) nitrite
- Isobutyl (butyl) nitrite
What They Call It: Street Names for Inhalants
You might hear different slang terms for using inhalants. Knowing these can sometimes be a clue if you’re worried about someone:
- Chroming (often related to paint)
- Gas/gasoline
- Glue/gluey
- Huff (as in “huffing paint”)
- Laughing gas
- Poppers
- Rush
- Snappers
- Sniff
- Whippets (especially for nitrous oxide canisters)
The Immediate Impact: Short-Term Effects of Inhalants
How inhalants affect someone can really vary. It’s not a one-size-fits-all thing. It depends on:
- Their overall health, body size, and weight.
- Whether they’ve used them before (have they built up a tolerance?).
- If they’re using other drugs or alcohol at the same time.
- How much they’re actually using.
- The specific type of inhalant.
- Even things like how much fresh air they’re breathing while doing it, or how active they are before and after.
Most inhalants mess with the central nervous system – that’s your brain and spinal cord – and tend to slow things down. Right after using, someone might experience:
- Feeling less inhibition, maybe taking more risks.
- A real lack of body control, stumbling, or clumsiness.
- Slurred or distorted speech.
- Loss of coordination.
- A feeling of euphoria – that quick “high.”
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded.
- Sometimes nausea or headaches.
- A red or runny nose, eyes, and throat.
- Confusion.
- In some cases, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there).
The Dangers of ‘Just One More Time’: Overdose Effects
That “high” from inhalants? It’s incredibly short-lived, just a few minutes. This is what makes them so treacherous. People often try to keep that feeling going by inhaling again and again, sometimes for hours. And this is where things can turn deadly, very quickly. This kind of inhalant use can lead to loss of consciousness and even death.
There’s something we call “sudden sniffing death.” It’s as awful as it sounds. It can happen even to an otherwise healthy person after using an inhalant just one time. This type of overdose death is especially associated with the use of propane, butane, and chemicals in aerosols. It’s a terrible risk.
Inhalant use can also lead to death in other ways:
- Asphyxiation: This happens from repeated inhalations, when high concentrations of inhaled fumes displace the available oxygen in your lungs.
- Suffocation: When inhaling fumes from a plastic bag placed over your head, you block air from entering your lungs.
- Choking: You can swallow and choke on your own vomit after inhaling substances.
The Lingering Damage: Long-Term Effects of Inhalants
If you regularly use inhalants, it can lead to serious long-term effects, including:
- Irritability and depression.
- Memory loss.
- Reduced attention span.
- Acne around your mouth and lips.
- Pallor (a pale appearance).
- Weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Excessive thirst (polydipsia).
- Loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and hearing.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Stomach ulcers.
Severe, often irreversible, effects can include:
- Tremors.
- Heart muscle damage.
- Liver and kidney damage.
- Delayed behavioral development in children and young adults.
- Brain damage. This is a big one.
- Coma.
- Death.
Additional Common Questions
Do inhalants cause hypoxia?
Yes, they absolutely can. By displacing air in your lungs, inhalants deprive your body of oxygen. This condition is called hypoxia.
Think of it this way: every cell in your body needs oxygen to work properly, to make energy, and to keep your organs going. While some parts of your body might cope with a brief dip in oxygen, if it goes on for too long – or happens repeatedly – hypoxia can lead to serious organ damage. Your brain is especially sensitive to a lack of oxygen.
Are inhalants addictive?
This is a really important question. And the answer is yes, they can be. If you regularly use inhalants, you can become dependent on the drug quickly.
When someone is dependent, using it may feel more important than anything else – school, work, social life. Over time, you may develop a tolerance, meaning you’ll need to take more of it to get the same effect. Some people develop a condition called inhalant use disorder.
Take-Home Message About Inhalants
This is a lot to take in, I know. If there are a few key things I’d want you to remember about inhalants, it’s these:
- Inhalants are dangerous chemicals found in many common household products.
- They provide a quick, short-lived “high” but can have devastating short-term and long-term health consequences.
- “Sudden sniffing death” is a real risk, even with first-time use of inhalants.
- Long-term use can lead to irreversible organ damage, including brain damage.
- Young people are particularly vulnerable, but use can occur at any age.
- Yes, inhalants can be addictive, leading to inhalant use disorder.
- If you suspect someone is using inhalants, please reach out for help. Talk to a doctor, a counselor, or a trusted support service. We’ll discuss all options for you or your loved one.
This is a tough topic, and if you’re worried about yourself or someone you care about, please know you’re not alone in this. Reaching out is the first, brave step.