Inhalants
Slang Terms for Inhalant Use
Inhalants are chemicals that people breathe in to produce mind-altering effects, in other words, to get high. Frighteningly, the most frequent users of inhalants are children and adolescents. Inhalants reach the brain in a matter of seconds and their pleasurable effects last only a few minutes. Other side effects however, can last 15 to 45 minutes or longer.
Common Street Names
- Whippets
- Huff
- Sniff
- Glading
- Snappers
- Buzz Bomb
- Poppers
- Bullet Bolt
- Pearls
- Boppers
- Oz
- Amys
- Moon Gas
- Ames
- Medusa
- Air Blast
Reasons Children & Adolescents Use inhalants
- They are inexpensive
- They are readily available and easy for kids to get
- The products themselves are legal (however they are illegal to use in this manner)
- Inhalants are often perceived as harmless by young people
- Peer Pressure
- The intoxicating effects are appealing
- Curiosity
Inhalants can actually shrink parts of the brain!
Inhalants can damage your bone marrow!
Inhalants can disrupt heart rhythms & cause a heart attack!
Damage from Inhalant use can be permanent!
Signs of Inhalant Use
- Chemical odors on breath or clothing
- Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothes
- Hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers and chemical-soaked rags or clothing
- Drunk or disoriented appearance
- Slurred or slowed speech
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- Inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression
- Missing household items
- General drunken appearance
- Red Eyes or runny nose
- Spots or sores around the mouth
Possible Effects of Inhalant Use
- Headache
- Numbness
- Confusion
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Nausea & Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Sluggishness
- Dizziness
- Muscle Weakness
- Irritability
- Impaired Judgment
- Slurred Speech
- Double Vision
- Violent Behavior
- Loss of Coordination
- SSDS
Dangers of Inhalant Use
Injuries
Inhalant use impairs judgment and coordination and slows down thinking and reactions which can lead to endless opportunities for accidents.
Brain Damage
Inhalants kill brain cells, period.
Suffocation
Some substances used as inhalants can coat the lungs and keep oxygen from getting through. Certain methods of use can also lead to suffocation .
Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS)
Death from inhalant use can occur suddenly, even on the first use. SSDS may result when a user deeply inhales a chemical for the effect of intoxication which causes a decrease in available oxygen in the body. If the user becomes startled or engages in sudden physical activity, an increased flow of adrenalin from the brain to the heart induces cardiac arrest and death occurs within minutes.
Inhalants are chemicals that people breathe in to produce mind-altering effects, in other words, to get high. Frighteningly, the most frequent users of inhalants are children and adolescents. Inhalants reach the brain in a matter of seconds and their pleasurable effects last only a few minutes. Other side effects however, can last 15 to 45 minutes or longer.
Long-Term Consequences of Inhalant Use
- Brain Damage
- Kidney Damage
- Bone Marrow Damage
- Heart Problems
- Eye Disease Severe
- Respiratory Problems
- Weakened Immune System
- Dependence
- Hearing loss
- Tolerance
- Liver Damage
- Short-term Memory Loss
General Categories of Inhalants
Solvents
These include glue, lighter fluid, paint thinners, Correction Fluid (White Out), & Gasoline
Aerosols
These include hair spray, spray paint, &b room deodorizers
Anesthetics & Gases
These include nitrous oxide, certain whipped cream containers, chloroform, ether, propane & Freon
Nitrites
These include amyl nitrite & butyl nitrite (video head cleaners)
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