A "High" Scavenger Hunt

Inhalants are a diverse group of volatile substances whose chemical vapors can be inhaled to produce psychoactive, mind-altering effects. While other abused substances can be inhaled, the term “inhalants” is used to describe substances that are rarely, if ever, taken by any other route of administration. A variety of products common in the home and workplace contain substances that can be inhaled to get high; however, people do not typically think of these products as drugs because they were never intended to induce intoxicating effects. Yet young children and adolescents can easily obtain these extremely toxic substances and are among those most likely to abuse them.

Categories:

1. Volatile Solvents: liquids that vaporize at room temperature

• Industrial or household products, including paint thinners or removers, degreasers, dry-cleaning fluids, gasoline, and lighter fluid
• Art or office supply solvents, including correction fluids, felt-tip marker fluid, electronic contact cleaners, and glue

2. Aerosols: sprays that contain propellants and solvents

• Household aerosol propellants in items such as spray paints, hair or deodorant sprays, fabric protector sprays, aerosol computer cleaning products, and vegetable oil sprays

3. Gases: found in household or commercial products used as medical anesthetics

• Household or commercial products, including butane lighters and propane tanks, whipped cream aerosols or dispensers (whippets), and refrigerant gases
• Medical anesthetics, such as ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas”

4. Nitrites: a special class of inhalents that are used primarily as sexual enhancers

• Organic nitrites are volatiles that include cyclohexyl, butyl, and amyl nitrites, commonly known as “poppers.” Amyl nitrite is still used in certain diagnostic medical procedures. When marketed for illicit use, organic nitrites are often sold in small brown bottles labeled as “video head cleaner,” “room odorizer,” “leather cleaner,” or “liquid aroma.”

Ages 12-15 typically use glue, shoe polish, spray paints, gasoline, and lighter fluid.
Ages 16-17 use nitrous oxide or whippets.
Adults commonly use nitrites.

Side Effects:

Effects are similar to that of alcohol, such as slurred speech, lack of coordination, euphoria, and dizziness.  Other common effects are lightheadedness, hallucinations, and delusions.  Other chemicals found in the inhalents may also cause confusion, nausea, or vomiting.

By removing air in lungs, inhalants deprive the body of oxygen which can damage cells throughout the body, especially cells of the brain. Therefore, this damage can cause the loss of the ability to learn new things or increase difficulty in carrying simple conversations.

Long-term usage may affect nerve fibers which can lead to muscle spasms, tremors, or even permanent difficulties talking, bending and walking.

Harmful Irreversible Side Effects:

• Hearing loss—spray paints, glues, dewaxers, dry-cleaning chemicals, correction fluids
• Peripheral neuropathies or limb spasms—glues, gasoline, whipped cream dispensers, gas cylinders
• Central nervous system or brain damage—spray paints, glues, dewaxers
• Bone marrow damage—gasoline

Serious But Reversible Side Effects:

• Liver and kidney damage—correction fluids, dry-cleaning fluids
• Blood oxygen depletion—varnish removers, paint thinners

The following are a few interesting articles published on teens and inhalents and include current statistics:

Inhalant Abuse Remains a Major Problem for Teens: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/19606

Close-up: inhalants: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_11_59/ai_98541302/

Teens with Spice cited for having inhalants: http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/news/article_fc0914ea-bd5c-11df-ba24-001cc4c002e0.html