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By Diane Griffith, HealthAtoZ writer
Inhalants are now as popular with young people as marijuana. By 8th grade, one child in five has tried them. Common household items are used, making inhalant abuse hard to detect. Finding hair spray or markers in your child's room isn't reason enough for suspicion, which is why you may need to learn more about this deadly form of substance abuse.
Types of inhalants:
- Vaporizing liquids (paint thinner, gasoline, correction fluid, felt-tip markers, nail polish and remover, glue, rubber cement).
- Aerosol sprays (deodorant, hair spray, cooking products, spray paint).
- Gases (butane, propane, ether, chloroform, nitrous oxide [laughing gas]). Found in whipped cream dispensers or purchased in balloons.
- Nitrites (sometimes known as poppers or snappers). Bought in capsules that release vapors when popped. Also found in room deodorizers. Used mostly by adults.
Effects
Inhalants make users:
- Euphoric
- Excited
- Drowsy
- Lightheaded
- Agitated
- Uninhibited
- Dizzy
Long-term effects:
Toxic chemicals enter the lungs and pass from the bloodstream to the brain, killing brain cells. This can cause permanent brain damage. Over time, muscle spasms and permanent damage to the nervous system can occur. Inhalant abuse can damage the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and bone marrow. Other side-effects include:
- Weight loss
- Muscle weakness
- Disorientation
- Irritability
- Depression
- In pregnancy, symptoms similar to fetal alcohol syndrome
- Hallucinations
- Impaired judgment
- Death
Death
A child can die from just one use of an inhalant.
- Sudden sniffing death can occur minutes after inhaling when an irregular heart rate causes heart failure.
- Lack of oxygen causes loss of consciousness and sudden death.
- Choking and suffocation are possible.
- Fatal accidents can result from impaired judgment.
- Suicide is possible because "coming down" can cause depression.
Huffing
Inhaling vapors from containers or sniffing fumes from chemical-soaked rags is called "huffing." Holding rags to the face or stuffing them in the mouth can cause users to choke on the rags or on vomit. Placing inhalants in the mouth can also cause swollen airways. Another common method involves spraying aerosols on the sleeve and sniffing it over time.
Bagging
Breathing vapors from a bag or can is called "bagging." Baggers often place the bag over their nose and mouth, sometimes losing consciousness. Suffocation is possible if the bag stays in place.
Dusting
Sniffing computer keyboard cleaners (e.g., Dust Off®) is called "dusting." Users pinch their lips over the nozzle and pull the trigger, letting the chemical sink into their lungs. This causes dizziness and euphoria. Kids believe it's just air and can't be dangerous, not realizing it also contains Freon® (a refrigerant).
Dusting causes the same symptoms as other inhalants. Freon can also cause frostbite on the tongue, lips and throat. Some stores no longer sell compressed air to children.
Butane
Inhalant use dates back to ancient Greece and to nitrous oxide parties in the 1800s. In the 1950s, glue was a popular inhalant. Currently, butane (usually from lighter fluid) is the cause of most inhalant deaths.
Signs that your child is abusing inhalants:
- Paint stains on body and clothing
- Hidden spray cans or chemical-soaked rags
- Slurred speech
- Chemical odor
- Nausea, loss of appetite
- Red or runny nose
- Sore or rash around nose or mouth
- Drunken or dazed look
- Anxiety or irritability
Addiction
Inhalants are addictive. Detoxification can take more than a month and the relapse rate is high. Withdrawal symptoms include:
- Sweating
- Rapid pulse
- Hand tremors
- Insomnia
- Nausea or vomiting
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
Who is at risk?
Young white males make up the largest group of abusers. Usage is also high among people of Hispanic and American-Indian origin.
Protecting your child:
- Teach by example. Don't use drugs, and your children will be less likely to use them.
- Build self-esteem. Praise their accomplishments. Confident children don't need drugs to feel good about themselves.
- Teach them to resist peer pressure. Encourage individuality. Tell them it's OK to have their own opinions.
- Talk openly. Discuss the dangers of substance abuse. Tell them they don't need to use drugs to win friends.
Children are never too young to learn about the dangers of inhalant abuse, which can start as early as 4th grade. It can also lead to abuse of other substances. Remind your kids that using inhalants just once can kill them. Stress that inhalants aren't drugs - they're poison.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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