The Truth About Inhalants: Know the Facts Regarding These Commonly Abused Drugs

Inhalants are divided into 4 categories: volatile solvents, aerosols, gases, and nitrites. They are commonly found within the home, and may include paint, glue, gas, and numerous other household products. To inhale these items, an individual may sniff the product directly from an open container, soak a rag in the product and “huff” it, inhale it out of a paper or plastic bag, spray aerosols directly into the nose and mouth, or use balloons filled with nitrous oxide. Almost every resource I looked at offered this grim statistic: 1 in 5 teenagers have used inhalants by the 8th grade. Additionally, young, white males are most likely to use inhalants. 

According to the website Inhalant.org (www.inhalant.org), signs of inhalant abuse include: 

• Drunk, dazed, or dizzy appearance 

• Slurred or disoriented speech 

• Uncoordinated physical symptoms 

• Red or runny eyes and nose 

• Spots and/or sores around the mouth 

• Unusual breath odor or chemical odor on clothing 

• Signs of paint or other products where they wouldn't normally be, such as on face, lips, nose or fingers 

• Nausea and/or loss of appetite 

• Chronic Inhalant Abusers may exhibit symptoms such as hallucinations, anxiety, excitability, irritability, restlessness or anger 

Inhalants are addictive, and the addiction is hard to treat. Treatment facilities specializing in inhalant addiction are few, and addicted individuals often have resulting cognitive and/or neurological damage due to inhalant abuse and require even more specialized treatment. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health determined that early inhalant use is associated with delinquent behaviors, further substance abuse, and other problems later in life. The same study found that inhalants are second only to marijuana in terms of drug use, so they are highly prevalent in society.