Inhalants
Common Examples
(Three Sub-Categories: Volatile Solvents, Aerosols, Anesthetic Gases)
Dust-Off
Paint (and Thinners)
Reddi-Wip
Insecticides
Gasoline
Glue
Frying Pan Lubricants
Nitrous Oxide
Prescription Examples
Methods of Ingestion
Sprayed into another object such as a can or balloon and then inhaled
Soaked into a cloth, placed on the nose and mouth and then inhaled
Common Signs of Use
Confusion
Bloodshot, watery eyes
Non-Communicative
Flushed Face
Lack of Muscle Control
Disoriented
Intense Headaches
Odor of Inhaled Substance
Slow, thick slurred speech
Possible Nausea
Residue of substance around mouth and nose
Physical Effects
Wide variety of effects, depending on the substance inhaled, however they generally appear to be intoxicated as if they were intoxicated on alcohol.
Effects
Confusion
Possibly Violent
Disorientation
Non-Communicative
Sensory Distortions
Overdose Effects
Coma
Sudden Sniffing Death
Overview
Inhalants are volatile substances that produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled to induce a psychoactive, or mind-altering, effect. Although other abused substances can be inhaled, the term "inhalants" is used to describe a variety of substances whose main common characteristic is that they are rarely, if ever, taken by any route other than inhalation. This definition encompasses a broad range of chemicals that may have different pharmacological effects and are found in hundreds of different products. As a result, precise categorization of inhalants is difficult.