A widely used chemical in the US and worldwide, benzene is primarily used as a starting agent to make rubbers, plastics, detergents, lubricants, dyes and pesticides. Benzene is also released into the atmosphere by gasoline-fueled automobiles and burning oil and coal.
Benzene is a known carcinogen and has been clinically linked to causing leukemia and other blood cell cancers. Benzene is not technically considered a CNS depressant, but it can produce drowsiness, dizziness, euphoria and rapid heart rate when large amounts are inhaled within a short period.
Physical Effects of Benzene Abuse
Huffing products that emit benzene fumes causes drowsiness, dizziness, severe headaches, muscle tremors, confusion, hallucinations and unconsciousness. Long-term exposure to benzene also harms bone marrow, where new blood cells are made. This can result in:
Anemia (low red blood cell count)
A low white blood cell count that can lower the body’s ability to fight serious infections
A low blood platelet count that promotes excess bruising and bleeding
Women who regularly huff high levels of benzene for extended periods may experience irregular menstrual periods, ovarian damage and permanent infertility.
Cheap and Deadly — Inhaling Gasoline to Get High
Gasoline is full of hydrocarbons like benzene that produce an alcohol-like intoxication by disrupting neurochemical processes in the brain. Powerful enough to cause hallucinations, nose bleeds, vomiting and coma, gasoline is a cheap high that is easily accessible and a viable alternative to drug addicts who cannot afford their drug of choice.