Inhalants

Inhalants

By Ryan Kmiec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J618fx8Y2u0

What are Inhalants?

Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that users intentionally inhale because of the chemicals' mind-altering effects. The substances inhaled are often common household products that contain volatile solvents, aerosols, or gases.

Drug Scheduling- 1 or 2???

Brief History

Inhalants were dated back to being used by Ancient Greeks. The trend really started to pick up when Nitrous Oxide was introduced in the early 1800’s. Ether and chloroform also became popular at that time. In the 1940s, recreational use of solvents, primarily gasoline, became popular. In the 1950’s the abuse of inhalants in the United States increased. By the 1960s, the practice of solvent sniffing had started including paint thinners, spray paint and shoe polish. Currently inhalants are a big problem amongst middle and high school students

Medical Uses

Solvents and aerosols: None

Amyl nitrite: Treatment for angina pectoris

Nitrous oxide: Dental anesthetic

Street Names

Slang Terms : Nitrous Oxide – Laughing Gas, Whippets, Hippie Crack, Buzz Bomb

Amyl Nitrate – Poppers, Boppers, Ames,

Amies

,

Amys

, Pearls

Isobutyl Nitrate – Poppers, Quicksilver, Rush, Snappers, Thrust, Locker Room, Aroma of Men, Bullet, Bolt, Climax, Hardware

Using inhalants – Bagging,

Glading

, Huffing, Snorting

Inhalant User – Airhead, Bagger,

Huffer

Cracker – Tool used to open a canister of nitrous oxide

Chemicals

Toluene-spray paints, rubber cement, gasoline

C

hlorinated hydrocarbons- dry-cleaning chemicals, correction fluids

Hexane- glues, gasoline

Benzene- gasoline

Methylene chloride- varnish removers, paint thinners

Butane- cigarette lighter refills, air fresheners

Nitrous oxide- whipped cream dispensers, gas cylinders

Physiological Effects

Double vision

Loss of coordination

Weakness

Severe headaches

Nausea or vomiting

Numbness

Irregular heartbeat

Heart problems

Even death

Short-term- weakness, hearing loss, fatigue and headaches.

Long-term- reduced kidney function, loss of vision, deafness and liver dysfunction.

Psychological Effects

Users usually experience a "head rush“ which is a short-lived high that involves a distortion of reality and a loss of inhibition.

During the peak users are often compelled to sit in a stupor and giggle –"laughing gas."

Kill brain cells

—Violent behaviors

Both short-term and long-term inhalant use has been shown to cause brain damage and hindering transmission of information

Volatile solvents

L

iquids 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

Aerosols

S

prays 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

Gases

Found in household or commercial products and 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 “laughing gas”

Nitrites

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.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7J8LlUHfuo

Bibliography

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/inhalants

http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/inhalants.html

http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=4168

http://www.caron.org/inhalants.html

http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/inhalants.asp

http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/inhalants/a-short-history.html