Inhalants / Solvents

The term "inhalants" refers to chemical vapours or gases that produce a "high" when they are breathed in. Most of the substances used as inhalants, such as glue, gasoline, cleaning solvents and aerosols, have legitimate everyday uses, but they were never meant for human consumption. Inhalants are cheap, legal and easy to get. They have a high potential for abuse - especially by children and young adults.

Street names:  glue, gas, sniff (solvents); whippets (nitrous oxide); poppers, room odourizers, VCR cleaner - some sold under "brand" names such as Rush, Bolt, Kix (nitrites)

There are hundreds of different kinds of inhalants, roughly dividing into four different types:

• Volatile solvents
• Aerosol or spray cans
• Gases
• Nitrites

Effects of Use:

All inhalants are absorbed through the lungs and travel quickly in the blood to the brain. This produces an immediate and brief intoxication. Different types of inhalants produce different effects.

Inhaled solvents usually produce an alcohol-like effect, but with more distortion of perception, such as the shape, size and color of objects, and distortion of time and space. New users may be initially excited, then become drowsy and fall asleep. People who use solvents more often may feel euphoric, exhilarated and have vivid fantasies. Some feel giddy, outgoing and confident. Physical effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, sneezing and coughing, staggering, slow reflexes and sensitivity to light.

Nitrous oxide produces a dreamy mental state, loss of motor control, hallucinations and an increased threshold for pain.

Nitrites dilate blood vessels and relax muscles. The heartbeat quickens and blood rushes to the head, creating a "rush." Nitrites also cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and flushing. Some men use nitrites during sex for the drugs' capacity to relax muscles and promote blood flow.

What are the long-term effects of using inhalants?

The long-term effects of inhalants vary depending on which inhalant is used. Some of the possible effects are bloodshot eyes, sores on the nose and mouth, nosebleeds, pale skin, excessive thirst and weight loss. People who use inhalants over a long term may also be confused, tired, depressed, irritable, hostile and paranoid and have trouble concentrating, remembering and thinking clearly. Heavy solvent use can result in numbness, weakness, tremors and a lack of co-ordination in the arms and legs.

Some long-term effects may be reversible, but others are permanent. When inhaled, solvents are carried by the blood and stored in fat tissue in the body. Internal organs that have high blood circulation and that are rich in fat tissue, such as the brain, liver and kidney, are particularly affected. If inhalant use is stopped, damage to the liver and kidneys may heal, but damage to the brain is almost always permanent. Studies using scans of people's brains after chronic long-term solvent use show that solvent use can cause the brain to atrophy, or shrink, which can severely affect thinking, memory and movement control.

Inhalant use can also result in permanent hearing loss and damage to bone marrow.