InhalantsSarah Wigley

• “(Inhalants) are especially (but not exclusively) abused by young children and adolescents, and are the only class of substance abused more by younger than by older teens.” – National Institute of Drug Abuse

Inhalants

•Although other abused drugs can be inhaled, the term inhalants is reserved for the wide variety of substances—including solvents, aerosols, gases, and nitrites—that are rarely, if ever, taken via any other route of administration.

Statistics

• Over 2.6 million children, aged 12 – 17, use an Inhalant each year to get high.

• 1 in 4 students in America has intentionally abused a common household product to get high by the time they reach the eighth grade.

• Inhalants tend to be the drug that is tried first by children. • “Sniffing” and “huffing” can begin at age 10 or younger. • 59% of children are aware of friends huffing at age 12. • Inhalants are the fourth most-abused substance after

alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. • The number of lives claimed by Inhalant Abuse each year

is unknown because these deaths often are attributed to other causes.

Other Terms For Inhalants

• Inhalation is referred to as huffing, sniffing, dusting or bagging and generally occurs through the nose or mouth. ▫ Huffing is when a chemically soaked rag is held to the

face or stuffed in the mouth and the substance is inhaled. ▫ Sniffing can be done directly from containers, plastic

bags, clothing or rags saturated with a substance or from the product directly.

▫ With Bagging, substances are sprayed or deposited into a plastic or paper bag and the vapors are inhaled. This method can result in suffocation because a bag is placed over the individual’s head, cutting off the supply of oxygen.

Types of Inhalants• There are more than 1,4000 products which are

potentially dangerous when inhaled.• The most common products are household products

or products that can be found in a garage, school or convenience store. ▫Adhesives/Glue▫Aerosols (spray paint, hairspray, air fresheners)▫Bath Salts▫Cleaning Agents (dry erase board cleaner, household

cleaners)▫Food Products (whipped cream, cooking spray)▫Gases/ Chemicals (propane, helium)▫Solvents(nail polish remover, paint thinner, lighter fluid,

lighters, whiteout)

Effects of Inhalants• Within minutes, the user

experiences feelings of intoxication and may become dizzy, have headaches, abdominal pain, limb spasms, lack of coordination, loss of control, hallucinations, and impaired judgment.

• Worse, he or she may even die from a condition known as Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome, which can even occur with first time users.

• Although it is not very common, addiction to inhalants can occur with repeated abuse

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome• It can happen during the first

time someone tries an inhalant• It is particularly associated with

the abuse of air conditioning coolant, butane, propane, electronics and the chemicals in some aerosol products.

• It is usually associated with cardiac arrest, as the inhalant causes the heart to beat rapidly and erratically resulting in the heart stopping

Long-Term Effects•Muscle weakness, inattentiveness, lack of

coordination, irritability, depression, liver or kidney damage and central nervous system (including brain) damage.

Signs of Abuse

•HELP acronym▫Hidden chemical-soaked rags or clothes▫Eyes and nose red or runny▫Loss of appetite or nausea▫Paint or chemical stains on face or

fingers

Prevention• “Education is the key to prevention,” says Dr. Caudle.

“Parents should be making sure their children’s schools are taking the necessary measures to teach children about the toxic consequences of inhalant use and continue that education at home” (Parents Can Prevent Inhalant Use in Children).

Discussion Questions

•Why do you think people start using inhalants?

•Why do you think inhalants are the most commonly used drug by younger teens in comparison to other drugs?

•Its important to be educated about inhalants and their effects on the body. I think its extremely popular amongst teens because it is so readily available. The substances being inhaled are not illegally obtained; instead they are household items that someone could buy at CVS. Education about the long term effects could possibly prevent the usage of such products.

References• Alliance for Consumer Education. "Dangers & Effects -

Inhalant Abuse Prevention."Inhalant Abuse Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. <http://www.inhalant.org/inhalant- abuse/dangers-effects/>.

• National Institute of Drug Abuse (2012). Inhalants Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/inhal ants on September 21, 2014

• Parents Can Prevent Inhalant Use in Children. (n.d.). American Osteopathic Association. Retrieved September 25, 2014, from http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about- your-health/health-conditions-library/general-health/Pages/inhalant-use.aspx