SUBSTANCE INFO
9 . inhalants
Some examples of inhalants: • Common household items, such as paint thinners, cleaning fluids, gasoline, glue, whiteout, and felt-tip markers • Aerosols, which are sprays that contain propellants and solvents and include spray paint, deodorant, vegetable oils, and fabric protector • Gases, such as nitrous oxide, butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers, and refrigerants • Nitrites, which relax the muscles and are sold on the street as “poppers” or “snappers” How are inhalants used: Inhalants are breathed in through the nose or mouth in a variety of ways, such as: • “Sniffing” or “snorting” fumes from containers • Spraying aerosols directly into the nose and mouth • “Bagging” – sniffing or inhaling fumes from substances sprayed into a paper or plastic bag • “Huffing” from an inhalant-soaked rag stuffed in the mouth • Inhaling from balloons filled with nitrous oxide
Signs of Inhalant Abuse • Chemical odours on the breath or clothing • Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothes • Hidden empty spray or solvent containers and chemical-soaked rags • Drunk or disoriented appearance • Slurred speech • Nausea or loss of appetite • Inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression
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Who can use inhalants: Because inhalants are usually found in the household, they attract younger children (under age 12), or adults who cannot afford the price of alcohol or street drugs. Inhalant abuse reaches its peak during the seventh to ninth grades, and can be a gateway to abusing other kinds of drugs. Poverty, a history of child abuse, poor grades, and dropping out of school are all associated with inhalant abuse. Risks of inhaling: Within minutes of inhalation, the user feels effects similar to those produced by alcohol, including lack of coordination, dizziness, euphoria, and difficulty speaking. Intoxication from inhalant use only lasts a few minutes, so abusers often try to keep the high going by continuing to inhale repeatedly over the course of several hours – which is very dangerous. With repeated inhalations, abusers can lose consciousness and even die. Using inhalants can lead to uncontrollable use. Some of the symptoms that long-term users exhibit are weight loss, muscle weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of co-ordination, irritability, and depression.
Medical consequences of inhalant abuse: Inhalants are very dangerous, and in some situation can lead to brain damage, organ damage or death caused by choking. Inhalants damage brain cells beyond repair, and therefore can lead to permanent abnormalities in thinking, learning, and memory. While inhalants may seem safe because they are found in household items that youdon’t have to buy on the street, they are in fact extremely harmful.
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