Inhalants basics
Find out all the basics about inhalants in this fact sheet, including what they are, how they work, and how they affect your mental and physical health.
Summary
- Inhalants are a range of products that produce vapours that, when inhaled, can cause you to feel intoxicated or "high".
- Inhalants are "depressants", which means that they slow down the activity of the brain and central nervous system. As a result, the messages going between the brain and the body are slowed down.
- Inhalants can cause physical and psychological addiction.
- Inhalant use can cause unwanted hallucinations, paranoia and confusion. It can also make any existing symptoms of depression or anxiety worse.
What are inhalants?
Each inhalant is made up of many different chemicals. These may include:
- Volatile substances – toluene, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, acetone, benzene, methyl chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl butyl ketone
- Aerosols - butane, propane, fluorocarbons, toluene, trichloroethylene
- Gases – butane, propane, nitrous oxide, ethyl chloride, halothane, enflurane
- Amyl nitrite - butyl nitrite, cyclohexyl nitrite
Classification
Inhalants are classified as a 'depressant', so they slow down the actions of the central nervous system. This means that they lower your heart and breathing rates and slows the time they take for a person to respond to things.
How are inhalants used?
There are various methods by which inhalants are used. The most common way is to empty the substance into a bag, balloon or bottle and inhale through the mouth or nose. Some users inhale the drug directly from the container.
How do inhalants work?
The vapours from many inhalants contain chemicals that break down the protective cover surrounding the nerve cells found in the brain which assist with the transmission of messages between brain cells.
Immediate effects of inhalants
Inhaling chemicals not designed to be taken in by the body is very dangerous as these products contain substances that are extremely harmful.
The effects of inhalants are immediate and can last for up to a few hours. They affect you a lot faster than most other drugs because they enter the bloodstream through the lungs.
The effects of inhalants can vary because each product is made of many different chemicals. Some known effects include:
- Bad breath and flu-like symptoms
- Nose-bleeds, bloodshot eyes and sores around the mouth and nose
- Increased self confidence, loss of self control, excitement and/or exhilaration
- Disorientation, blurred vision and/or dizziness and nausea
- Slurred speech, feeling uncoordinated and having slow reflexes
- Feeling tired or drowsy, light-headed, sick or vomiting
- Fits of uncontrollable laughter
- Dribbling, sneezing or coughing
- Getting thirsty and/or increased sensitivity to light
- Hallucinations
- Convulsions
- Feeling 'hung over' after these effects wear off
- Occasionally, users feel overwhelming power after inhaling. This can lead to careless or risky behaviour that is potentially life-threatening
- Death
- 'Sudden Sniffing Death' – can occur when you have done hard exercise or had a sudden fright leading to heart failure
- Suffocation due to falling asleep with a bag over your nose and mouth
- Accidents due to reckless behaviour
Effects from regular inhalants use
Regular use of inhalants can lead to long-term effects including:
- Confused thinking, forgetfulness and/or less logical thinking
- Muscle weakness
- Irritability, moodiness, hostility and/or depression
- Tremors, weightlessness and/or tiredness
- Irregular heart rhythms leading to heart failure
- Kidney, stomach and liver damage
- Brain damage – cleaning products, correction fluid and aerosol sprays can cause permanent brain damage.
Mental health and inhalants
Inhalant use can cause unwanted hallucinations, paranoia and confusion. It can also make any existing symptoms of anxiety, depression or anxiety worse. You’ll be at a higher risk of experiencing panic attacks and may find it hard to work out what’s real and what isn’t.
Are inhalants addictive?
Regular use of inhalants can lead to psychological dependence. You may find that using them becomes far more important than other activities in life. You crave the substance and will find it very difficult to stop.
Chronic abuse of inhalants may result in physical dependence. This means the body gets used to functioning with the inhalant present.
Inhalants and the law
It is not a criminal offence anywhere in Australia to use or to possess volatile substances used as inhalants. If a police officer believes you are intoxicated, they are generally able to detain you.
While some inhalants are restricted, most inhalants are common household products so it is not practical to make them illegal. However, it is illegal for retailers to sell products to someone if they believe that they are to be used for inhaling.
Some communities in Western Australia and South Australia have passed local by-laws to make petrol sniffing an offence.
It’s illegal to drive under the influence of any drug, including inhalants.
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