INTELLIGENCE BRIEF

U. S . DEP ARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Product No. 2002-J0403-001 NOVEMBER 2001

Introduction

Inhalant abuse, commonly called huffing, is the

purposeful inhalation of chemical vapors to achieve

an altered mental or physical state, which for most

abusers is a euphoric effect. Abusers inhale vapors

emitted from a wide range of substances. In fact,

chemical vapors used as inhalants can be found in

over 1,000 common household products. There are

several general categories for substances that may

be used as inhalants:

Volatile solvents are liquids that vaporize at

room temperature if left in unsealed containers. Paint

thinner, gasoline, correction fluid, felt-tip markers,

nail polish and remover, and glue (such as rubber

cement) all contain volatile solvents.

Aerosols are sprays that contain propellants and

solvents such as toluene—one of the most common

solvents found in aerosols. Common aerosols include

paint, deodorant, hair products, cooking products,

and fabric protector. Silver and gold spray paint are

particularly popular among inhalant abusers.

Gases are substances that lack definite shape or

volume such as refrigerants and medical anesthetics.

Abusers frequently inhale gases found in butane lighters, air conditioning units, and propane tanks. Medical

anesthetics such as ether, chloroform, and nitrous oxide are also abused. Nitrous oxide, commonly called

laughing gas, is abused more frequently than any other

gas. It can be obtained from whipped cream dispensers

or products that boost octane levels in racing cars. It

may also be purchased in balloons or in small, sealed

vials called whippets, which are sold at raves or drug

paraphernalia stores.

Nitrites are a group of chemicals including

cyclohexyl nitrite, amyl nitrite, and butyl nitrite.

Nitrites are used mainly to enhance sexual experiences rather than to achieve a euphoric effect.

Cyclohexyl nitrite is found in room deodorizers.

Amyl nitrite comes in small, mesh-covered, sealed

capsules that are popped or snapped in order to release the vapors. Because of this popping or snapping, these capsules are frequently called poppers or

snappers. Butyl nitrite is often sold in small bottles

that, like amyl nitrite capsules, are referred to as poppers. Nitrites are available in adult bookstores and

shops and over the Internet.

The abuse of inhalants is widespread across the United States;

however, it may be underreported because law enforcement officials and healthcare providers are often unfamiliar with the signs

of inhalant abuse. Abusers, primarily adolescents, inhale chemical

vapors from a variety of substances, many of which are common

household products. These young people abuse inhalants in order to obtain a euphoric effect and are often

unaware of the potential risks, which include brain damage and death. Some adults also abuse inhalants,

particularly nitrites. Adult abusers often inhale substances in order to enhance their sexual experiences.

Photo courtesy of DEA
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Huffing–The Abuse of Inhalants

of males and 14.6 percent of females admitted having used inhalants at least once in their lifetime. Similarly, 4.4 percent of males and 3.9 percent of females

reported having used inhalants at least once in the

30 days preceding the survey.

Adults Also Abuse Inhalants

While adolescents are the primary group abusing inhalants,

a study by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug

Abuse (TCADA) found that adults also abuse inhalants. An

analysis of 144 Texas death certificates involving misuse or

abuse of inhalants from 1988 to 1998 indicates that the average age of those who suffered inhalant deaths was 25.6 with

ages ranging from 8 to 62. In the same analysis of Texas

death certificates, TCADA found that the most frequently

mentioned inhalant (35%) was Freon (51 deaths). Of the

Freon deaths, 42 percent were students or youth (mean age

of 16.4 years), and 37 percent were involved in occupations

where Freon was readily available.

Source: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse,

Substance Abuse Trends in Texas: June 2001.

Where are inhalants abused?

Inhalants are abused throughout the country.

According to the 1999 YRBS, in 11 states the percentage of high school students who reported having used inhalants at least once in their lifetime

exceeded the national average of 14.6 percent. The

states having the highest percentage of inhalant

abuse are West Virginia (20.4%), Tennessee

(19.2%), Nevada (19.0%), Wyoming (17.6%),

Ohio (17.1%), Arkansas (16.7%), Montana

(16.5%), Wisconsin (16.2%), Alabama (16.1%),

Michigan (15.6%), and North Dakota (15.5%).

How are inhalants abused?

Inhalants are breathed in through the nose or

mouth in a variety of ways. Abusers begin by

inhaling deeply; they then take several more breaths.

Abusers may inhale, by sniffing or snorting, chemical vapors directly from open containers or by huffing

fumes from rags that are soaked in a chemical substance and then held to the face or stuffed in the mouth.

Other methods include spraying aerosols directly into

Who abuses inhalants?

According to the 2000 National Household

Survey on Drug Abuse, the number of new inhalant

abusers rose approximately 158 percent from an estimated 392,000 in 1990 to 1,010,000 in 1999. The

primary user group was composed of 12- to 17-yearolds—over 636,000 had tried inhalants for the first

time in 1999. This number is more than double that

of the 18- to 25-year-old user group (276,000.) Almost 17 million individuals have experimented with

inhalants at some point in their lives.

Inhalants are the fourth most abused substances

in the United States among eighth, tenth, and twelfth

graders; alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana are the

top three, according to the 2000 Monitoring the Future Study. By the time adolescents reach the eighth

grade, one in five has tried inhalants at least once.

Prevalence of lifetime abuse has consistently been

higher among eighth graders than among tenth and

twelfth graders. In 2000, 18 percent of eighth graders, 17 percent of tenth graders and 14 percent of

twelfth graders admitted having used inhalants at

least once in their lifetime. Statistics showing higher

lifetime use among eighth graders may be due to the

fact that frequent inhalant abusers typically drop out

of school and consequently do not participate in the

tenth and twelfth grade surveys.

Data from the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) indicate that 14.6 percent of students in

grades 9 through 12 have abused inhalants at least

once in their lifetime; 4.2 percent of the students reported having abused inhalants at least once in the

30 days preceding the survey. Males and females

abused inhalants at nearly equal rates—14.7 percent

Source: Monitoring the Future 2000.
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National Drug Intelligence Center

the nose or mouth or pouring inhalants onto the user’s

collar, sleeves, or cuffs and sniffing them over a period of time (such as during a class in school). In a

practice known as bagging, fumes are inhaled from

substances sprayed or deposited inside a paper or plastic bag. Alternatively, the fumes may be discharged

into small containers such as soda cans and then inhaled from the can. Users may also inhale from balloons filled with nitrous oxide or other devices such

as snappers and poppers in which inhalants are sold.

Street Terms for Inhalants

Amys Head cleaner

Bang Hippie crack

Bolt Kick

Boppers Locker room

Bullet Poor man’s pot

Climax Poppers

Glading Rush

Gluey Snappers

Hardware Toncho (octane booster)

Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP),

Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse Fact Sheet—

Inhalants, June 2001.

Signs of Abuse

· Drunk or disoriented appearance

· Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothing

· Hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers

 and chemical-soaked rags or clothing

· Slurred speech

· Strong chemical odors on breath or clothing

· Nausea or loss of appetite

· Red or runny nose

· Sores or rash around the nose or mouth

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report

Series, Inhalant Abuse, 10 May 2001.

What are the effects?

For most users, inhalant abuse results in a rapid

euphoric effect that is similar to alcohol intoxication. Users experience initial excitation, then drowsiness, lightheadedness, and agitation. Inhalant abusers

also report feeling a loss of inhibitions. The chemicals

found in volatile solvents, aerosols, and gases produce

a variety of additional effects during or shortly after

use that include dizziness, strong hallucinations, delusions, belligerence, apathy, and impaired judgment.

Additional symptoms exhibited by long-term inhalant abusers include weight loss, muscle

weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression. Withdrawal

symptoms include sweating, rapid pulse, hand tremors, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, hallucinations,

and, in severe cases, grand mal seizures.

While abusers of other inhalants seek a

euphoric effect, nitrite abusers—who tend to be

adults rather than adolescents—seek to enhance the

sexual experience. Inhaled nitrites dilate blood

vessels, increase heart rate, and produce a sensation

of heat and excitement that can last for several minutes.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, use

of these drugs is associated with unsafe sexual practices

that greatly increase the risk of contracting and spreading infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Chronic inhalant abuse may result in serious and

sometimes irreversible damage to the user’s heart,

liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Brain damage may

result in personality changes, diminished cognitive

functioning, memory impairment, and slurred speech.

Death from inhalant abuse can occur after a

single use or after prolonged use. Sudden sniffing

death (SSD) may result within minutes of inhalant

abuse from irregular heart rhythm leading to heart

failure. Other causes of death include asphyxiation,

aspiration, or suffocation. A user who is suffering

from impaired judgment may also experience fatal

injuries from motor vehicle accidents or sudden falls.

According to Drug Abuse Warning Network

(DAWN) Medical Examiner data, inhalants were a

factor in over 500 deaths in the United States from

1996 to 1999. Medical examiner data provided by

DAWN cover only 40 metropolitan areas in the

United States; thus, many inhalant-related deaths

across the country are not reflected in DAWN data.
Huffing–The Abuse of Inhalants

319 Washington Street 5th Floor, Johnstown, PA 15901-1622 • (814) 532-4601

Outlook

Easy accessibility and the relatively low cost of the substances abused indicate that inhalant abuse will

attract new users and continue to be a problem in the United States. Authorities have recognized the problem

of inhalant abuse; 46 states (excluding Alabama, Arkansas, Montana, and Wyoming) and the Commonwealth

of the Northern Mariana Islands have enacted laws to address the issue. Inhalants are dangerous poisons that

were never designed for human consumption. Prevention and information campaigns will increase awareness of

the negative effects of inhalant abuse and may help to make this practice less appealing to our nation’s youth.

Sources

Alcohol and Drug Help Line, Washington State, www.adhl.org

American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org

The Boston Globe

City of Ashland Police Department, Wisconsin

Conway, Deborah. “Inhalants Stink! Sniff Them Out to Protect Kids,” Education Digest, September 2000

Falkowski, Carol. Dangerous Drugs, Center City, MN: Halzelden Information and Educational Services, 2000

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pittsburgh Field Division

Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, www.fadaa.org

Inaba, Darryl S., William E. Cohen, and Michael E. Holstein. Uppers, Downers, All Arounders: Physical and Mental

Effects of Psychoactive Drugs, 3rd ed. Ashland: CNS, 1997

Join Together Online, www.jointogether.org

Kurtzman, Tracey L., Kimberly N. Otsuka, and Richard A. Wahl. “Inhalant Use by Adolescents,” Journal of

Adolescent Health 2001. New York: Elsevier Science, 2001

Maxwell, Jane C. “Deaths Related to the Inhalation of Volatile Substances–Texas, 1988-1998,” American Journal of

Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Vol. 27, 2001

Mercie, Susan. “Nitrous Oxide & Nitrite Inhalants: Funny Facts,” Do It Now Foundation, May 2000

National Conference of State Legislatures

National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, www.inhalants.org

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Partnership for a Drug-Free America

Philadelphia Inquirer

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse