What Do You Know About Inhalant Abuse?

Inhalants are the fourth or fifth most abused substance by teens, according to the NIDA. Depending on the age of the teen, substances abused more often are marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and tobacco (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping), and prescription medicines.

Some people view inhalant sniffing as a fad that will pass as teens mature. The truth is far more startling. Deaths from inhalant abuse have happened in kids the first time they use an inhalant.

Inhalants can cause death by starving the body of oxygen or forcing the heart to beat more rapidly and less smoothly. They can also cause severe damage to the brain and nervous system. Using inhalants can cause sudden death known as sudden sniffing death syndrome. An otherwise healthy young person can die from a single session of using an inhalant.

It's more common among younger teens. According to the NIDA, about 1 in 10eighth-graders in 2019 said they had tried inhalants. And about 1 in 50 said they used inhalants in the past month. Use of inhalants has gone down over the last decade. But for the youths who die each year and their families, any abuse can be devastating. It's critical to talk about the dangers of inhalants anytime you discuss drug and alcohol use with pre-teens and teens.

Teens can buy inhalants legally in stores. Some, such as gasoline, glues, paints, and household sprays, may be readily available in the home. Inhalants are found in a variety of seemingly harmless products. As a result, teens who sniff inhalants to get high don't face the same supply problems or legal concerns that abusers of other drugs face.

Again, it’s important to talk about the dangers of inhalants and other drug use with pre-teens and teens. Encourage open discussion of these topics.

Nitrous oxide is a colorless, sweet-tasting gas used by doctors and dentists for general anesthesia. It's present in whipping cream cans or bakery supply shops. It's called "laughing gas" because it often brings on a state of giggling and laughter. Nitrous oxide is abused when it is inhaled for its mind-altering effects. It's often discharged into a balloon and then inhaled. Inhaling the gas may starve the body of oxygen and can result in death. Long-term use can result in nerve damage.

Toluene is a solvent. It is a common ingredient in many paints, lacquers, glues, inks, and cleaning fluids. It is the cause of many inhalant abuse deaths and injuries. Abusers of spray paint may have damage to their nervous system. Such damage can affect perception, reasoning, and memory. It also can lead to poor muscular coordination and, eventually, dementia.

Volatile solvents are found in gasoline, paint thinner, spray paint, paint and wax removers, hair spray, deodorants, air fresheners, cigarette lighter fuels, analgesic sprays, and gases used in aerosols such as whipped cream dispensers. Volatile solvents produce a quick form of intoxication. Many inhalant products contain more than 1 volatile solvent. So it's difficult to pinpoint the specific chemical responsible for brain or nerve damage or death.