Inhalants Vocabulary 1. (G) VAPORIZE 2. (A) PROPANE 3. (I) TOLUENE 4.(H) NITROUS OXIDE 5. (E) BUTANE 6. (F) MUSCLE WASTING 7. (B) PAINT THINNER 8. (D) SOLVENT 9. (C) ANESTHETICS

The Truth about Inhalants

What are Inhalants? Vapors from toxic substances which are inhaled to reach a quick high Products most often used  Shoe polish  Glue  Toluene  Gasoline  Lighter fluid  Nitrous oxide  Spray paint  Correction fluid (whiteout)  Cleaning fluid  Lacquer thinner

Effects Slow down the body’s functions After initial high and loss of inhibition then experience  Drowsiness  light-headedness  agitation Chemicals absorbed through lungs and into bloodstream Quickly reaches brain and other organs Causes irreversible physical and mental damage

Methods Sniffing  Inhale chemical vapors directly from open containers Huffing  Breathe fumes from rags soaked in chemicals Directly  Spray substance into nose or mouth  Pour it onto their collar, sleeves, or cuffs and sniff them periodically Bagging  Inhale fumes from inside a paper or plastic bag  Increases chance of suffocation Poppers and whippets are sold at concerts and dance clubs

Street Names Air Blast Highball Ames Shoot the breeze Huff Snappers Snotballs Spray Boppers Whippets Whiteout Pearls Bullet bolt Moon Gas Bullet

How it affects your body Damage to the heart, kidneys, brain, liver, bone marrow, and other organs Starves the body of oxygen and forces heart to beat irregularly and more rapidly Nausea and nosebleeds Lose their sense of hearing or smell

Chronic use can lead to reduced muscle tone and gradual destruction of immune system Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome can happen the first or 100th time an inhalant is used  Replaces oxygen with a chemical in the lungs which then goes to the central nervous system so that breathing ceases

Short Term Effects Most inhalants directly affect the nervous system to produce mind-altering effects Slurred speech Drunk, dizzy, or dazed appearance Hallucinations Headaches Rashes around nose and mouth Hostility

Long Term Effects Muscle weakness Disorientation Depression Irreversible organ damage Memory impairment and diminished intelligence Hearing loss Death from heart failure and asphyxiation Sniffing glue and paint thinner – kidney Sniffing toluene and other solvents – liver

Addiction Can become physically and psychologically addictive Have a strong urge to continue use Habitual users coming off inhalants experience withdrawal  Nausea  Excessive sweating  Muscle cramps  Headaches  Chills  Agitation  Shaking  Hallucinations  Severe cases – convulsions

Type: Liquids Vaporize at room temperature Found in easily available household and industrial products  Paint thinners  Degreasers  Gasoline  Glues  Correction fluids  Felt-tip marker fluids

Type: Sprays Spray paints Deodorant Hair sprays Vegetable oil sprays Fabric protector sprays

Type: Gases Medical anesthetics Butane lighters Propane tanks Whipped cream dispensers Refrigerants

Type: Nitrites Special class of inhalants Chemical found in food preservatives, leather cleaner, and room deodorizers Act directly on the central nervous system, brain, and spinal cord Used as sexual enhancers Commonly known as poppers or snappers

Are Inhalants Legal? Not regulated under the Controlled Substances Act 38 states have places restrictions on the sale and distribution to minors of certain products that are commonly abused Some states have introduced fines, incarceration or mandatory treatment for the following:  Sale  Distribution  Use and/or possession Laws also exists in some states prohibiting the recreational inhalation of nitrous oxide