| |
|
|
Inhalant Fact Sheet
Slang- Glue, Kick, Bang, Sniff, Huff, Poppers, Snappers, Rush, Whippets, Texas Shoe-Shine, Hippie Crack
There are at least three chemically different types of inhalants: volatile hydrocarbons, amyl and butyl (volatile) nitrites, and anesthetic gases. Users try them for different reasons and experience different effects
- Volatile hydrocarbons (including lighter fluid and typewriter correction fluid) are primarily used as solvents, refrigerants, and propellants. They act as central nervous depressants inducing a "high" similar to alcohol.
- Volatile nitrates function as a vasodilator. They dilate blood vessels and increase heart rate. Butyl nitrite is used in room fresheners
- Anesthetic gases result in the loss of sensations and possibly loss of consciousness as used in surgical procedures. Nitrous oxide is also used as an aerosol propellant and flavoring agent for whipping cream.
They are inhaled through the nose(sniffing) or mouth (huffing)
Signs and Effects
Inhalant use can cause problems in school: failing grades, chronic absences and general apathy. Other signs include: paint or stains on body or clothing, spots or scores around the mouth, red or runny eyes or nose, chemical breath odor, drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance, nausea, loss of appetite, anxiety, excitability, irritability.
Signs and symptoms most frequently reported in long-tern, heavy users of Toluene containing solvents:
Short-term memory loss
Emotional instability
Cognitive impairment
Slurred and "scanning" speech
Wide-based ataxic-gait
Staggering or stumbling
Nystagmus
Ocular flutter
Tremor
Optic neuropathy unilateral or bilateral hearing loss
Loss of sense of smell
Diffuse slowing of the EEG
Abnormal or absent brainstem auditory-evoked response
Diffuse cerebral, cerebella, and brainstem atrophy
Enlarged ventricles and widening of cortical sulci, especially in the frontal or temporal cortex
Immediate effects include: Nausea, loss of appetite, bad breath, double vision, runny or bloody nose, lack of coordination, feeling and looking tired, eye irritation, sneezing and coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, chest pain, ringing in the ears, erratic heart beat
Long term effects: hearing loss, hand tremors, permanent damage to nervous system, brain, liver, kidney, blood and bone marrow damage, impaired respiratory system, death
Inhalants affect your brain and can cause sudden violent or deadly behavior
Pressurized gasses such as nitrous oxide and butane are sometimes inhaled inside a plastic bag over the head. Loss of oxygen can lead to unconsciousness and death
Inhalation directly from tanks can cause frozen tissue injury to the mouth and throat. Under certain circumstances, it may stop the heart
Nearly all abused products produce effects similar to anesthetics, which slow down the body's function. Varying upon level of dosage, the users can experience stimulation, lessening of inhibitions, or loss of consciousness
The user can suffer from Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (can die the 1st, 10th, or 100th time he/ she uses) Other effects include damage to the heart, kidney, brain, liver, bone marrow and other organs
Inhalants users are also at risk for Sudden Sniffing Death (SSD), which can occur when the inhaled fumes take the place of oxygen in the lungs and central nervous system. This basically causes the inhalant user to suffocate. Inhalants can also lead to death by disrupting the normal heart rhythm, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Use of inhalants can cause hepatitis, liver failure, and muscle weakness. Certain inhalants can also cause the body to produce fewer of all types of blood cells, which may result in life-threatening aplastic anemia
Using brain imaging techniques, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers have discovered that there are marked structural changes in the brains of chronic inhalant abusers. These changes include a reduction in size in certain brain areas, including the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem. These changes may account for some of the neurological and behavioral symptoms that long-tem inhalant abusers exhibit (for example, cognitive and motor difficulties)
Results similar to Fetal alcohol Syndrome may also occur when inhalants are used during pregnancy
Inhalants are physically and psychologically addicting and users suffer withdrawal symptoms
Treatment
Treatment facilities for inhalant users are rare and difficult to find. Users suffer high rate of relapse, and require thirty for forty days of detoxification. Users suffer withdrawal symptoms which can include hallucination, nausea, excessive sweating, hand tremors, muscle cramps, headaches, chills and delirium tremors. Follow-up treatment is very important
Statistics
Inhalants are the third most abused substances among 12-14 year olds in the USA, right behind alcohol and tobacco. As many as one in five students in the USA have tried inhalants by the time they reach the seventh grade.
Nearly one in five high school seniors report having used inhalants.
|
|
