The 1999 National Household Survey found that almost half a million young people use inhalants in any month. The following provides additional information on inhalant abuse as well as links to related sites. The quick high from inhalants lasts only a few minutes, so abusers often inhale repeatedly over several hours. Most inhalants are common products found right in the home. Common inhalants used to get high include rubber cement, paint thinner, nail polish remover, gasoline, cleaning fluids, spray paint, correction fluids and bleach.
Inhalants are one of the few substances abused more by younger children than by older ones.
Statistics show that young, white males have the highest usage rates. Hispanic and American Indian populations also show high rates of usage. Gender differences in inhalant abuse have been identified at different points in childhood. People who abuse inhalants are found in both urban and rural settings. Research on factors contributing to inhalant abuse suggests that adverse socioeconomic conditions, rather than racial or cultural factors per se, may account for most reported racial and ethnic differences in rates of inhalant abuse.