INHALANTS
“Inhalants” refers to the vapors from toxic
substances, which are inhaled to reach an incredibly
strong yet short high.
S
HISTORY
S Initially, inhalants were used as pain relievers.
Yet inhaling fumes from chemicals such as oils,
resins, and perfumes to alter the individuals
state of consciousness, or as part of religious
ceremonies, dates back to ancient times in
Egypt, Babylonia, India, and China.
HISTORY CONTINUED
S 1776, an English chemist by the name Joseph
Priestly discovered and proved the presence of
oxygen and nitrogen in the air. It is then that
Priestly created nitrous oxide.
S This is done by “heating ammonium nitrate in the
presence of iron filings, and then passing the gas
that came off through water to remove toxic byproducts”.
Joseph Priestly
Sir Humphry Davy
S 1799- Sir Humphry Davy was a British chemist who initially
studied inhalants and gasses.
S Davy prepared and inhaled Nitrous Oxide, and is responsible for
the term “laughing gas”. He was known to hold nitrous oxide
parties where people could experience this “laughing gas”
S He is best known to have invented the safety lamp for miners, and
he also discovered iodine.
S Noting the anesthetic effects, Davy proposed that the gas could be
used for operations, although this was not tried for another half
century.
Sir Humphry Davy
Horace Wells
S Around the mid 1800s, nitrous oxide, ether and
chloroform were the anesthetics most commonly
used.
S Dentist Horace Wells personally experimented
with Nitrous Oxide to remove one of his own
teeth.
S It was from this point on that nitrous oxide was
used to relieve pain during surgeries.
Horace Wells
Early 1900’s
S Nitrous oxide was also found to have similar effects to
alcohol yet was far less expensive. This came in handy
especially during the Prohibition Era of the early
1900’s.
S In the 1940s, recreational use of solvents, primarily
gasoline, became popular.
S Abuse of inhalants in the United States increased in
the 1950s, and in the 60’s several more products were
added to the list of inhalants.
Current Inhalants
S Fast forward to current day, there are now over
one thousand products that can be inhaled.
S The list included rubber cement, nail polish,
markers, gasoline, whippets, paint, paint
thinner, and any aerosol product including
hairspray, spray paint, potpourri, Old English
wood cleaner, and Lysol.
Common Inhalants
How Inhalants are Ingested
The way most aerosol products are inhaled, is a towel is placed
over the canister and then the individual places mouth over the
towel. This creates a form of euphoria, yet this high is minimal
compared to other forms of inhalants.
Gasses, paints, and other liquid forms of inhalants, the
individual places mouth over container and takes large inhales.
In the most extreme form, the individual can be seen with
paint all over his or her face.
Whoops
Double Whoops
WHIPPETS AND POPPERS
S The most common inhalants are whippets and
poppers.
S Poppers hit the scene during the 1970’s and whippets
during the late 80’s early 90’s. What separates poppers
from whippets are the ingredients “amyl nitrate, butyl
nitrate, and isopropyl nitrite. Both of these inhalants
provide the “wah, wah’s”. The “wah, wah’s” describe
the sound that the individual hears when these
inhalants are ingested. This can be described as a heart
beat in your brain and when the individual does too
much, a seizure like effect takes place.
Short-Term Effects
S Nosebleeds
Slurred Speech
S Headaches
Hallucinations
S Nausea
Hostility
S Vomiting
Prolonged Sniffing
S Unconsciousness
Impaired Judgment
Long-Term Effects
S Muscle Weakness
Memory Impairment
S Disorientation
Hearing Loss
S Lack of Coordination
Bone Marrow Damage
S Damage to Internal Organs
Death
Long-Term Continued
S The long-term affects start by depressing the central nervous
system. This ultimately decreases the amount oxygen
received by the brain, which can also cause permanent brain
damage. “Chronic inhalant abuse can lead to permanent
loss of brain tissue volume and lasting abnormalities in
brain structure. Inhaling solvents causes more cognitive
impairment than cocaine abuse”
Sudden Sniffing Death
Syndrome
S Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome is heart failure resulting
from an irregular heartbeat usually caused by stress or
strenuous activity after using inhalants. It is thought that the
inhalant drug makes the heart increasingly sensitive to the
effects of adrenaline.
Statistics
S “22.9 million Americans” have tried inhalants,
S “22% of inhalant abusers who died of Sudden Sniffing Death
Syndrome had no history of previous inhalant abuse”
S Over 2.6 Million children, ages 12-17, use inhalants to get high
S Inhalants tend to be the drug that is first tried by children
S Inhalants are fourth in line when it comes to substances abused.
Inhalants fall right after Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana
Before and After
Hmm…..
Inhalants are Bad for You….
Works Cited
S
BBC News. BBC. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/davy_humphrey.shtml
S
Datta, Chandan, Suparna Datta, Sanjay Kumar Saha, Saptarshi Chatterjee, and
Medhatithi Barman. "Inhalant Abuse: A Curse to the New Generation Adolescents."
Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences (2014). Print.
S
"History Inhalant Abuse Info NIPC National Inhalant Prevention Coalition." History
Inhalant Abuse Info NIPC National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 10
Nov. 2014.
S
"Inhalant Statistics and Reports - Inhalant Abuse Prevention." Inhalant Abuse Prevention.
Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://www.inhalant.org/media/inhalant-statistics-and-reports/>.
S
"Nitrous Oxide History Air Liquide." Nitrous Oxide History Air Liquide. Web. 16 Nov.
2014. <http://www.airliquide.com/en/company/our-businesses-our-products/othergases/nitrous-oxide-2/nitrous-oxide-history.html>.
S
"Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS)." CODA. 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.drugabuse.ca/sudden-sniffing-death-syndrome-ssds>.