inhalants

Brief
Description:

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 or aerosols.

 
Street Names:

Whippets, poppers, snappers.

 
Short Term Effects:

Within seconds of inhalation, the user experiences intoxication along with other effects similar to those produced by alcohol. Alcohol-like effects may include slurred speech, an inability to coordinate movements, dizziness, confusion and delirium. Nausea and vomiting are other common side effects. In addition, users may experience lightheadedness, hallucinations, and delusions.

 
Long Term Effects:

Compulsive use and a mild withdrawal syndrome can occur with long-term inhalant abuse. Additional symptoms exhibited by long-term inhalant abusers include weight loss, muscle weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression.

After heavy use of inhalants, abusers may feel drowsy for several hours and experience a lingering headache. Because intoxication lasts only a few minutes, abusers frequently seek to prolong their high by continuing to inhale repeatedly over the course of several hours. By doing this, abusers can suffer loss of consciousness and death.

Federal Classification:

N/A

 
Statistics
and Trends:
 The NIDA-funded 2007 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 8.3% of 8th graders, 6.6% of 10th graders, and 3.7% of 12th graders had abused inhalants at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/.