Sniffing, bagging, and huffing. These are some of the names for breathing the gas, fumes, or vapors of chemicals in order to get high. Inhalants are legal, common products that have a useful purpose but can be misused. You may keep many of these products in your own home-paint, glue, and nail polish remover. More than 1,000 other products are harmful when inhaled-things like typewriter correction fluid, air conditioning refrigerant, felt tip markers, spray paint, air freshener, butane, and even cooking spray.¹

Let's start with the fact that inhalants can kill. "Sudden sniffing death syndrome" can occur during or right after sniffing. The heart begins to overwork, beating quickly and unevenly, which can lead to cardiac arrest.² Sudden sniffing death syndrome is mostly linked with the abuse of butane, propane, and chemicals in aerosols.³ A person using inhalants also can die from choking or lack of oxygen.⁴ This can happen the 1st time, the 10th time, or the 100th time a person uses inhalants.⁵

Those who misuse inhalants risk many other types of harm and discomfort. Possible short-term effects include:

• Headache
• Muscle weakness
• Stomach pain
• Severe mood swings and violent behavior
• Slurred speech
• Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
• Nausea
• Hearing loss
• Limb spasms
• Fatigue
• Lack of coordination

In addition to death, long-term effects may include damage to the central nervous system, brain, liver, heart, and kidneys.⁶

The use of inhalants is widespread among teens and often comes before alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use.⁷ By the time students reach eighth grade, nearly one in six of them will have used an inhalant to get high. Almost as many eighth-graders have used inhalants (16 percent) as have used marijuana (18 percent).⁸

Clues to inhalant use include chemical odors on a person's breath or clothing; paint or other stains on his face, hands, or clothes; runny nose or sores around his nose; hidden, empty spray paint or solvent containers and chemical-soaked rags; or missing household items.⁹

National Poisons and Inhalants Awareness Week, March 21-27, 2004, was created to highlight the dangers of inhalant use. Use this event to learn more about inhalants. Check out the resources listed below. Then talk to your kids throughout the year about the dangers of inhalant use.

Sources

¹National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. Products Abused as Inhalants, last referenced 3/22/2004.

²Alliance for Consumer Education. Inhalant.org: Talk to Your Kids,last referenced 3/22/04.

³National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA InfoFacts: Inhalants,last referenced 3/22/04.

⁴National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA Notes-Facts About Inhalant Use, last referenced 3/22/04.

⁵Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. Tips for Teens: The Truth About Inhalants, last referenced 3/22/04.

⁶Inhalants.org. Warning Signs,last referenced 4/12/2006.

⁷National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. Characteristics of Users, last referenced 3/3/04.

⁸Monitoring the Future. 2003 Data From In-School Surveys of 8th- , 10th- , and 12th-Grade Students, last referenced 3/22/04.

⁹Alliance for Consumer Education. Warning Signs,last referenced 3/23/2004.

Additional Resource

• National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Mind Over Matter: The Brain's Response to Inhalants
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: A Parent's Guide To Preventing Inhalant Abuse