NCJ Number
197042
Date Published
November 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This intelligence brief discusses the abuse of inhalants.
Abstract
Inhalant abuse, commonly called huffing, is the purposeful inhalation of chemical vapors to achieve an altered mental or physical state, which for most abusers is a euphoric state. Chemical vapors used as inhalants can be found in more than 1,000 common household products. General categories for substances that may be used as inhalants include: (1) volatile solvents (liquids that vaporize at room temperature if left in unsealed containers); (2) aerosols (sprays that contain propellants and solvents such as toluene); (3) gases (substances that lack definite shape or volume such as refrigerants and medical anesthetics); and (4) nitrites (a group of chemicals used mainly to enhance sexual experiences rather than to achieve a euphoric effect). Chronic inhalant abuse may result in serious and sometimes irreversible damage to the user's heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Death from inhalant abuse can occur after a single use or after prolonged use. Inhalants are dangerous poisons never designed for human consumption. But easy accessibility and relatively low cost of the substances abused indicate that inhalant abuse will attract new users and continue to be a problem in the United States. Figure, sources