Inhalants 

13549

Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that produce psychoactive (mind-altering) effects. Although people are 

exposed to volatile solvents and other inhalants in the home and in the workplace, many do not think of inhalable 

substances as drugs because most of them were never meant to be used in that way. 

Young people are likely to abuse inhalants, in part because inhalants are readily available and inexpensive. Sometimes 

children unintentionally misuse inhalant products that are found in household products. Parents should see that these 

substances are monitored closely so that they are not inhaled by young children. 

Inhalants fall into the following categories: 

z Solvents 

{ Industrial or household solvents or solvent-containing products, including paint thinners or solvents, 

degreasers (dry-cleaning fluids), gasoline, and glues 

{ Art or office supply solvents, including correction fluids, felt-tip-marker fluid, and electronic contact 

cleaners 

z Gases 

{ Gases used in household or commer cial products, including butane lighters and propane tanks, 

whipping cream aerosols or dispensers (whippets), and refrigerant gases 

{ Household aerosol propellants and as sociated solvents in items such as spray paints, hair or deodorant 

sprays, and fabric protector sprays 

{ Medical anesthetic gases, such as ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) 

z Nitrites 

{ aliphatic nitrites, including cyclohexyl nitrite, which is available to the general public; amyl nitrite, which is 

available only by prescription; and butyl nitrite, which is now an illegal substance. 

Health Hazards

Although different in makeup, nearly all abused inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down 

the body's functions. When inhaled via the nose or mouth into the lungs in sufficient concentrations, inhalants can 

cause intoxicating effects. Intoxication can last only a few minutes or several hours if inhalants are taken repeatedly. 

Initially, users may feel slightly stimulated; with successive inhalations, they may feel less inhibited and less in control; 

finally, a user can lose consciousness. 

Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure 

and death. This is especially common from the abuse of fluorocarbons and butane-type gases. High concentrations of 

inhalants also cause death from suffocation by displacing oxygen in the lungs and then in the central nervous system 

so that breathing ceases. Other irreversible effects caused by inhaling specific solvents are as follows: 

z Hearing loss - toluene (paint sprays, glues, dewaxers) and trichloroethylene (cleaning fluids, correction fluids) 

z Peripheral neuropathies or limb spasms - hexane (glues, gasoline) and nitrous oxide (whipping cream, gas 

cylinders) 

z Central nervous system or brain damage - toluene (paint sprays, glues, dewaxers) 

z Bone marrow damage - benzene (gasoline). 

Serious but potentially reversible effects include: 

z Liver and kidney damage - toluene- containing substances and chlorinated hydrocarbons (correction fluids, dryCall toll-free: 1-888-NIH-NIDA (1-888-644-6432)

Deaf Callers: 1-888-TTY-NIDA (1-888-889-6432)

NIDA's Home Page: http://www.drugabuse.gov/

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cleaning fluids) 

z Blood oxygen depletion - organic nitrites ("poppers," "bold," and "rush") and methylene chloride (varnish 

removers, paint thinners). 

Death from inhalants usually is caused by a very high concentration of fumes. Deliberately inhaling from an attached 

paper or plastic bag or in a closed area greatly increases the chances of suffocation. Even when using aerosols or 

volatile products for their legitimate purposes (i.e., painting, cleaning), it is wise to do so in a well-ventilated room or 

outdoors. 

Amyl and butyl nitrites have been associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the most common cancer reported among 

AIDS patients. Early studies of KS showed that many people with KS had used volatile nitrites. Researchers are 

continuing to explore the hypothesis of nitrites as a factor contributing to the development of KS in HIV-infected people. 

Extent of Use

Initial use of inhalants often starts early. Some young people may use inhalants as a cheap, accessible substitute for 

alcohol. Research suggests that chronic or long-term inhalant abusers are among the most difficult to treat and they 

may experience multiple psychological and social problems. 

Monitoring the Future Study (MTF)*

NIDA’s national survey of drug use among high school students has been tracking the use of inhalants by 8th- and 

10th-graders since 1991. Inhalant use for all grades appears to have peaked in 1995. Inhalant use continues to be 

more prevalent among 8th graders than students in the 10th or 12th grade. Lifetime use of inhalants among 8th graders 

decreased from 19.7 percent in 1999 to 17.9 percent in 2000. During the 10 years that data have been collected for 8th 

graders, inhalant use was highest in 1995, with percentages of 21.6 for lifetime use, 12.8 for past year use, and 6.1 for 

past month use. 

Inhalant Use by Students, 2000: 

Monitoring the Future Study

† “Lifetime” refers to use at least once during a respondent’s lifetime. “Past year” refers to an individual’s drug use at least once during 

the year preceding their response to the survey. “Past month” refers to an individual’s drug use at least once during the month

preceding their response to the survey.

National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)**

Each year, the NHSDA reports on the nature and extend of drug use among the American household population aged 

12 and older. Data from this survey show that in there were an estimated 1 million new inhalant users in 1999, up from 

390,000 in 1990. The rate of 12- to 17-year olds trying inhalants for the first time rose significantly in the last decade, 

from 10.9 per 1,000 potential new users in 1990 to 29.0 in 1999. Additionally, for young adults age 18-25, there was an 

increase in the rate of first use between 1990 and 1999 (from 4.8 to 11.2 per 1,000 potential new users). 

* The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey is funded by National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 

and is conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. The survey has tracked 12th graders’ 

illicit drug use and related attitudes since 1975; in 1991, 8th and 10th graders were added to the study. For the latest, 

year 2000 study, 45,173 students were surveyed from a representative sample of 435 public and private schools 

nationwide; the student response rate was 86%. For the latest survey results, please visit the NIDA website at 

http://www.drugabuse.gov. 

 8th-Graders 10th-Graders 12th-Graders

 Ever Used † 17.9% 16.6% 14.2%

 Used in Past Year † 9.4 7.3 5.9

 Used in Past Month † 4.5 2.6 2.2

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** NHSDA is an annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

administration.Copies of the latest survey are available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug 

Information at 1-800-729-6686. 

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