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Inhalants: Difference between revisions

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>Blackhole
In the bathroom someone threw up, it's probably your girlfriend Power, energy, amphetamine Your homie is fucking semi-conscious girl on the wash machine Power, energy, amphetamine In the kitchen, two tweenies, hand, tit, saliva, saliva Power, energy, amphetamine And someone in the room knelt, with swallowing will be final Power, energy, amphetamine Yesterday melange on tablets, but today is entering amphetamine. Correct eyebrows. Where is the pencil? Fuck that, where pencil pouch. It is handbag
>David Hedlund
Undo revision 167549 by Blackhole (talk)
 
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In the bathroom someone threw up, it's probably your girlfriend Power, energy, amphetamine Your homie is fucking semi-conscious girl on the wash machine Power, energy, amphetamine In the kitchen, two tweenies, hand, tit, saliva, saliva Power, energy, amphetamine And someone in the room knelt, with swallowing will be final Power, energy, amphetamine Yesterday melange on tablets, but today is entering amphetamine.
{{headerpanel|{{Warning/Inhalants}}}}
Correct eyebrows. Where is the pencil?
[[File:NOS Cracker With Balloon And Charger.jpg|thumb|right|[[#Nitrous oxide|Nitrous oxide]] cracker (top right) with balloon and a disposable nitrous oxide charger (bottom right).]]
Fuck that, where pencil pouch. It is handbag of amphetamine.
 
Rolled new hundred. You to the town in these toe shoes? With Zara still hanging tag. Straight from the Gatty fishnet tights. Wet plate amphetamine sticky. Well, pat in the gums. Each leg toddle, toddle. Chill out, oh the tissue. Think that here is hectare of jive. Lay down on a couch. Do not outflow, it is not a berth. Power, energy, amphetamine Power, energy, amphetamine Power, energy, amphetamine Power, energy, amphetamine Morning gym and a little Metanobol, and in the evening enters amphetamine.
'''Inhalants''' refer to a broad range of household or industrial chemicals whose volatile vapors or gases are concentrated and inhaled into the lungs via the nose or mouth to produce a state of acute intoxication. The effects of inhalants range from central nervous system depression and intense [[euphoria]] to vivid [[hallucinogenic]] experiences such as [[internal hallucinations|internal]] and [[external hallucinations]]. However, these intoxicating and debilitating effects vary widely depending on the substance and the dose used.
Nose or bomb is a roulette. Additionally to phase bottle burst. On the windowsill while a meter away. The nose is clogged? Then unplug! Gang in Tico van. Tico is jumping, so it’s orgy. Aeroplane flight over the city. Windows down, chill elbow. Good clothing is a badge, a good shoe is a label. For the party is a cash. For girls chat catch. Each one willing, blonde, brunette. Turbo tongue, cunnilingus master In the bathroom someone threw up, it's probably your girlfriend Power, energy, amphetamine Your homie is fucking semi-conscious girl on the wash machine Power, energy, amphetamine In the kitchen, two tweenies, hand, tit, saliva, saliva Power, energy, amphetamine And someone in the room knelt, with swallowing will be final
 
Inhalants do not include substances that are breathed in after they have been heated through vaporization or burned. For example, [[poppers|amyl nitrite]] (poppers), [[nitrous oxide]] and [[toluene]] are considered to be inhalants because they are volatile at room temperature and need no other heat source to transform from liquid to gaseous state. [[Tobacco]], [[cannabis]], [[cocaine|crack-cocaine]], or any other [[:category:psychoactive substance|psychoactive substance]] that requires an external heat source is not considered to be a member of the inhalant category of substances, even though once heated the resulting fumes are inhaled into the lungs.
 
==Overview==
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: auto; text-align: center;"
|-
! Safety
! Category
! Sub category
! Psychoactive effect
! Examples<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Radparvar |first1=S |title=The Clinical Assessment and Treatment of Inhalant Abuse. |journal=The Permanente journal |date=15 June 2023 |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=99-109 |doi=10.7812/TPP/22.164 |pmid=37078126 |pmc=10266853}}</ref>
! Example image
|-
! rowspan="2" | [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_inhalants Medical inhalants]
| [[Nitrite]]s
|
| [[Dissociative]]
| [[Alkyl nitrites]] ([[poppers]] such as [[amyl nitrite]])
| [[Image:Nitrite-group-2D.svg|frameless|center|90x50px]]
|-
| [[NOx]]
|
| [[Dissociative]]
| [[Nitrous oxide]] (found in whipped cream canisters)
| [[Image:Nitrous-oxide-2D-VB.svg|frameless|center|150x50px]]
|-
! rowspan="7" | [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_inhalants#Historical Medical (historical)]
|-
| [[Ether]]s
|
| [[Depressant]]
| [[Diethyl ether]] (liquid): Fuel, aerosol propellant, refrigerant, “freeze” sprays, fuel
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | Hydrocarbons
| rowspan="5" | [[Chloroalkane]]s
| rowspan="5" | [[Depressant]]
|-
| [[Carbon tetrachloride]] (liquid): Cleaning solutions, aerosol propellants
|
|-
| [[Chloroethane]] (liquid): Topical anesthetic
|
|-
| [[Chloroform]] (liquid): Cleanser for plastic compounds, adhesive, spot remover
| [[Image:Chloroform displayed.svg|frameless|center|60x50px]]
|-
| [[1,1,1-Trichloroethane]] (liquid): Typewriter correction fluid
|
|-
! rowspan="19" | Toxic
|-
| [[Ether]]s
|
| [[Depressant]]
| [[Dimethyl ether]] (liquid): See "ethyl ether" for sources
|
|-
| rowspan="16" | Hydrocarbons
|-
| rowspan="4" | [[Chloroalkane]]s
| rowspan="4" | [[Depressant]]
|-
| [[Methylene chloride]] (liquid): Paint thinners, varnish removers, degreasing agent
|
|-
| [[Tetrachloroethylene]] (liquid): Dry cleaning agents, degreaser
|
|-
| [[Trichloroethylene]] (liquid): Dry cleaning agent, spot remover, degreaser
|-
| rowspan="7" | [[Aliphatic hydrocarbon]]s
| rowspan="7" | [[Dissociative]]
|-
| [[Butane]], [[propane]], [[methane]] (gas): Lighter fluid, bottled fuel, aerosol propellants (hair spray, spray paint, deodorants, room fresheners, cooking oil sprays)
| [[Image:Butane simple.svg|frameless|center|90x60px]]
|-
| [[n-Hexane]] (liquid): Adhesive, gasoline, industrial solvents, rubber cement
|
|-
| [[Isooctane]] (liquid): Automotive fuel
|
|-
| [[Kerosene]] (liquid): Lighter fluid
|
|-
| [[Naphtha]] (liquid): Shoe polish, adhesive
|
|-
| [[Turpentine]] (liquid): Paint thinner, solvent
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Aromatic hydrocarbon]]s
| rowspan="3" | [[Dissociative]]
| [[Benzene]] (liquid): Gasoline, rubber cement
|
|-
| [[Toluene]] (liquid): Adhesives, paint thinner, spray paint, rubber cement, nail polish remover
| [[Image:Toluol.svg|frameless|center|60x50px]]
|-
| [[Xylene]] (liquid) Paint thinner, adhesive, degreaser
|
|-
| [[Fluorocarbon]]s
|
| Chlorofluorocarbons (gas): (freons: difluoroethane, dichlorofluoromethane, tetrafluoroethane, bromochlorodifluoromethane) Refrigerants, various aerosol propellants (hair spray, spray paint, computer spray or duster, deodorants, room fresheners, fire extinguisher)
|
|-
| [[Ketone]]s
|
| [[Depressant]]
| [[Acetone]] (used in [[nail polish remover]])
| [[Image:Acetone-2D-skeletal.svg|frameless|center|60x50px]]
|}
 
==Medical inhalants==
 
===Antidote to cyanide poisoning===
 
====Alkyl nitrites (poppers)====
[[Alkyl nitrites]] (also known as poppers) are a class of volatile liquid substances whose fumes are inhaled for recreational purposes, particularly in preparation for sexual activities.<ref name="MerckManuals">{{Citation | title=Volatile Nitrites - Special Subjects | url=https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/special-subjects/recreational-drugs-and-intoxicants/volatile-nitrites?ruleredirectid=249&qt=&sc=&alt=}}</ref> They are known for producing intense but short-lived muscle relaxing effects that start after about 15 seconds and last for up to 3 minutes.The substance is often sold under the name 'Rush'.
 
===General anesthetics===
For a full list of medical inhalational anesthetic agents, see: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_inhalants#Inhalational_anesthetic_agents List of medical inhalants#Inhalational anesthetic agents]
 
====Nitrous oxide====
{{Main|Nitrous Oxide}}
[[File:Big-ox-oxygen-canisters.png|thumb|right|The canister on the left is whipped cream, a product which is pressurized with nitrous oxide. The two canisters on the right contain 'flavoured' oxygen.]]
 
While not a volatile organic chemical, nitrous is often inhaled or huffed and is therefore technically an inhalant. It is also worth noting that this is one of the very few inhalants which are not inherently dangerous to use assuming that appropriate precautions are taken.
 
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, nitro, NOS or hippy crack,<ref>{{cite book | vauthors=((Tarendash, A. S.)) | date= July 2001 | title=Let’s Review: Chemistry, the Physical Setting | publisher=Barrons Educational Series | isbn=9780764116643}}</ref> is an [[Chemical class::inorganic molecule]] and chemical compound with the formula N<sub>2</sub>O. It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless and non-flammable gas with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic effects.
 
It is also known as "laughing gas" due to the euphoric effects of inhaling it, a property that has led to its recreational use as an atypical [[Psychoactive class::dissociative]] [[pain relief|anesthetic]]. The duration of these effects is approximately 2 - 5 minutes in length. It is also used as an oxidizer in rocketry and in motor racing to increase the power output of engines. At elevated temperatures, nitrous oxide is a powerful oxidizer similar to molecular oxygen.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Nitrous Oxide.svg|Skeletal structures of the two resonance structures of a nitrous oxide molecule.
File:671680925 o.jpg‎|Above are nitrous oxide canisters. These are available for purchase on [https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_13/151-3485180-9056864?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nitrous+oxide+chargers&sprefix=nitrous+oxide%2Caps%2C137 amazon] and many other websites.
File:Dispenser.jpg|Nitrous canisters are used with [https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=whip+cream+dispenser&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awhip+cream+dispenser whip cream dispensers] as an easy and convenient route of administration.
</gallery>
</center>
 
======Food grade cream chargers compared to medical nitrous oxide======
 
*Medical grade contains 50% nitrous oxide, and 50% oxygen.
*The gas from "cream chargers" contains food grade, not medical grade nitrous oxide. Thus, they can contain a range of impurities, such as industrial grease left over from manufacturing, and tiny particles of steel from the pierced metal. Users can filter them through a piece of cotton, cloth, or clothing to reduce the amount of impurities inhaled.<ref>https://www.dancewizensw.org.au/filtering-nangs</ref><ref>http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/nitrous/nitrous_article2.shtml</ref> Regular cleaning of nitrous dispensing devices can also reduce the harm posed by impurities.<!-- Added to: Inhalants, Nitrous -->
 
====Xenon====
Xenon is an elemental gas that is reported to produce psychoactive effects upon inhalation, whose effects are similar to nitrous oxide. These include dissociation, anesthesia and euphoria. Recreational use of Xenon is rare due to its high cost and the difficulty of obtaining it<ref>https://doubleblindmag.com/hamiltons-pharmacopeia-xenon-to-iboga-an-inside-look/</ref>. Xenon is neuroprotective against oxygen deprivation and has been used to prevent brain damage in extremely premature babies. <ref>{{Citation | vauthors=((Bristol, U. of)) | title=Xenon gas successfully delivered to babies in ambulance | publisher=University of Bristol School of Clinical Sciences | url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2013/9333.html}}</ref>
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Xenongas.jpg| Xenon can be found in canisters similar to Nitrous Oxide canisters.
File:Xenon gas.jpg|Xenon is an elemental gas that reportedly produces dissociative effects.
File:Xenonelectronshell.png|Xenon is an elemental gas with psychoactive effects.
</gallery>
</center>
 
Anecdotal reports of xenon experience can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Xenon.shtml Erowid Experience Vaults: Xenon]
 
====Historical general anesthetics====
 
Obscure compounds:
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,1,1-Trichloroethane 1,1,1-Trichloroethane] (Wikipedia)
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrachloride Carbon tetrachloride] (Wikipedia)
 
======Chloroethane======
It was commonly used to induce general anaesthesia before continuing with di-ethyl ether, which had a much slower up-take.
 
Albeit not used an inhalant in modern times it is still worth to note that: In Brazil, [[chloroethane]] is a major component of a traditional (though illegal) drug taken during Carnaval, known locally as "lança-perfume"<ref>{{Cite magazine | url=http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/02/whats-lanca-perfume-the-biggest-drug-in-rio-youve-never-heard-of/ |title = What's Lança-Perfume? The Drug from Rio's Bust You've Never Heard of|magazine = Time|last1 = Melnick|first1 = Meredith|date = 2 December 2010}}</ref> (lit. ''perfume launcher'' or ''sprayer'').
 
======Chloroform======
'''Chloroform''', or '''trichloromethane''', is an organic compound with formula CHCl<sub>3</sub>. It is a colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid. It is a volatile solvent that was used as a medical anesthetic during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is one of the four chloromethanes and a trihalomethane. It is a powerful anesthetic, euphoriant, anxiolytic and sedative when inhaled or ingested.<ref>{{cite book | veditors=((Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area)) | date=31 January 2012 | chapter=The MAK-Collection for Occupational Health and Safety | title=Chloroform [MAK Value Documentation, 2000] | publisher=Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA | pages=20–58 | url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/3527600418.mb6766e0014 | doi=10.1002/3527600418.mb6766e0014 | isbn=9783527600410}}</ref>
 
The anesthetic qualities of chloroform were first described in 1842 in a thesis by Robert Mortimer Glover, which won the Gold Medal of the Harveian Society for that year. Glover also undertook practical experiments on dogs to prove his theories. Glover further refined his theories and presented them in the thesis for his doctorate at the University of Edinburgh in the summer of 1847. The Scottish obstetrician James Young Simpson was one of the persons required to read the thesis, but later claimed to have never read the thesis and to have come to his conclusions independently.
 
The use of chloroform during surgery expanded rapidly thereafter in Europe. In the 1850s, chloroform was used by the physician John Snow during the birth of Queen Victoria's last two children. In the United States, chloroform began to replace ether as an anesthetic at the beginning of the 20th century; however, it was quickly abandoned in favor of ether upon discovery of its toxicity, especially its tendency to cause fatal cardiac arrhythmia analogous to what is now termed "sudden sniffer's death". Some people used chloroform as a recreational drug or to attempt suicide.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Martin, W.)) | journal=British Medical Journal | title=A Case of Chloroform Poisoning; Recovery | volume=2 | issue=1331 | pages=16–17 | date=3 July 1886 | issn=0007-1447 | doi=10.1136/bmj.2.1331.16-a}}</ref>
 
Use of chloroform as an incapacitating agent has become widely recognized, bordering on clichéd, due to the popularity of crime fiction authors having criminals use chloroform-soaked rags to render victims unconscious. However, it is nearly impossible to incapacitate someone using chloroform in this manner.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Payne, J. P.)) | journal=Anaesthesia | title=The criminal use of chloroform | volume=53 | issue=7 | pages=685–690 | date= July 1998 | url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.528-az0572.x | issn=0003-2409 | doi=10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.528-az0572.x}}</ref> It takes at least five minutes of inhaling an item soaked in chloroform to render a person unconscious. Most criminal cases involving chloroform also involve another drug being co-administered, such as alcohol or diazepam, or the victim being found to have been complicit in its administration. After a person has lost consciousness due to chloroform inhalation, a continuous volume must be administered and the chin must be supported to keep the tongue from obstructing the airway, a difficult procedure typically requiring the skills of an anesthesiologist.<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Chloroform bottle.gif|Chloroform is a clear volatile liquid.
File:Trichloromethane.svg|The moleculuar structure of trichloromethane, commonly called chloroform.
File:Chloroform-Label.gif|Chloroform's reactivity, toxicity, and flammability are summarized by this label.
</gallery>
</center>
 
Anecdotal reports of chloroform experience can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Chloroform.shtml Erowid Experience Vaults: Chloroform]
 
======Ether======
See also: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ether_addiction Ether addiction (Wikipedia)]
 
Diethyl ether (commonly known as ether) is a volatile liquid whose vapors are inhaled to produce effects such as [[nausea]], [[dizziness]], and auditory hallucinations<ref>{{Citation | title=Erowid Ether Vault: Basics | url=https://erowid.org/chemicals/ether/ether_basics.shtml}}</ref>. The CNS depressant effects lead it to also cause unconsciousness, drowsiness, and [[sedation]]. Other psychoactive effects that are documented in experience reports include [[internal hallucinations]], [[loss of motor control]], and other hallucinatory states.
 
Ether is highly flammable and should be treated with care. It can cause irritation to the upper respiratory tract when inhaled. Irritation to the eyes and skin may also occur along with coughing and headaches.
 
Ether was commonly used in the 19th century for anesthesia. It was also used as a psychoactive drug for its intoxicant effects. It can be drunk in its liquid form but, due to the volatility of the substance, this practice is not advised as it can cause severe damage to internal organs. Pure ether is volatile at standard temperature and pressures, and the vapors of ether can be inhaled to experience its psychoactive effects. Ether can also be absorbed through the skin.
 
Diethyl ether does not depress the myocardium but rather it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system leading to hypertension and tachycardia. It is safely used in patients with shock as it preserves the baroreceptor reflex.<ref>{{Citation | vauthors=((Akif, D.)) | year=2010 | title=Ether effects | url=https://anesthesiageneral.com/ether-effects/}}</ref> Diethyl ether could also be mixed with other anesthetic agents such as chloroform to make C.E. mixture, or chloroform and alcohol to make A.C.E. mixture. In the 21st century, ether is rarely used. The use of flammable ether was displaced by nonflammable fluorinated hydrocarbon anesthetics. Halothane was the first such anesthetic developed and other currently used inhaled anesthetics, such as isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane, are halogenated ethers.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors=((Morgan, G. E.)), ((Mikhail, M. S.)), ((Murray, M. J.)) | date= 2002 | title=Clinical Anesthesiology | publisher=Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill | isbn=9780838515532}}</ref>
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Diethyl ether.svg |The chemical structure of diethyl ether, commonly known as "ether".
File:Etherjar.jpg|Diethyl ether is a clear, volatile liquid at room temperatures.
File:Startingfluid.jpg|Ether can be found as an active ingredient in some automobile starting fluids - the inhalation of ether from this medium is not advised from a health safety standpoint due to other chemical contaminants found in the starting fluid.
 
</gallery>
</center>
 
Anecdotal reports of ether experience can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Ether.shtml Erowid Experience Vaults: Ether]
 
==Non-medical inhalants==
Ethanol (the [[alcohol]] which is normally drunk) is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_inhalation sometimes inhaled], but this cannot be done at room temperature.
 
==Toxic inhalants==
{{GenericPanel/warning
| title=Toxic inhalants can cause sudden death and should never be inhaled!
}}
 
Most users tend to be "... adolescents (between the ages of 12 and 17)."{{refn|1=For example, studies on inhalant use in New Zealand showed that "... most of the inhalant abusers are within the 14- to 18-year-old age group"; in the Philippines, the mean age of sniffers was 15; in Korea, a 1992 study showed "86 percent are male and are below the age of 20"; about 3/4 of Singapore inhalant users in a 1987 study were 19 or younger.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>}}
 
===Types===
 
====Hydrocarbons====
[[File:Hairspray.jpg|thumb|Hairspray contains a variety of chemicals that may exhibit psychoactive effects. It is commonly sprayed through a rag to filter out the particulate matter and the discharge from the hairspray is directly inhaled.]]
 
The most common ingredients found in aerosols is some fluorocarbon or hydrocarbon molecule acting as a propellant. Gases from aerosol spray dispenser can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.
 
Aerosols are found in common household items such as air freshener, hair spray, and spray paint. The variety of the specific chemicals used in inhalation vary widely based on the product being used.
 
Most gasses are compressed into canisters and will absorb heat from the environment upon expansion into the atmosphere from the can. This temperature change can cause serious bodily harm if one does not consider the temperature change that the gas can go through upon inhalation. In addition to the dangers associated with inhaling uncompressed gas, there are dangers of asphyxiation and death because the psychoactive gas that is heavier than air will accumulate in the lungs and prevent oxygen absorption.
 
=====Gases=====
 
======Butane======
Use of this inhalant can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.  
 
This chemical is often found in a compressed form in a can and can be inhaled directly. Using butane as a drug is dangerous due to possible oxygen deprivation. The direct inhalation of the gas can also cause drowsiness, narcosis, asphyxia, and cardiac arrhythmia among other CNS depressant effects. Butane is the most commonly abused volatile organic solvent in the United Kingdom and caused 52% of solvent-related deaths in 2000.
 
When butane is sprayed directly into the throat, the jet of fluid can cool rapidly to the dangerous temperature of −20 °C by adiabatic expansion, causing prolonged laryngospasm and other bodily harm. The ingestion of liquid butane or direct inhalation of butane can cause frostbite like effects that pose a serious risk of personal injury <ref>https://www.airgas.com/msds/001007.pdf|Butane MSDS</ref>.
 
Butane is also dangerous to use in an unventilated area. It is a highly flammable gas and if too much butane accumulates in the atmosphere a physical or electrical spark can cause an explosion. If pressure or heat is applied to cans containing butane, they will explode and pose a risk for bodily harm.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Butanecan.jpg|Butane is compressed inside of a can. This compressed gas is inhaled directly from the can.
File:ButaneLewis.PNG|Butane is a hydrocarbon that has psychoactive effects.
File:Flammable Gas.gif| Butane gas is highly flammable!
</gallery>
</center>
 
An anecdotal report of a butane experience can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=31384|A Butane Trip Report]
 
======Propane======
Propane is a hydrocarbon. It is commonly found in hair spray, and portable propane tanks used for fuel.
 
;Gas duster
 
Gas dusters generally contain the halocarbons difluoroethane (DFE) or tetrafluoroethane (TFE). Some gas dusters contain trifluoroethane, but these are very rare. TFE has been used as a human anesthetic and has a similar structure to Halothane. DFE has been linked to multiple cases of sudden cardiac death after inhalation. There are no reported deaths from TFE, however, it can cause arrythmias and possibly sudden death. Beta-blockers prevent TFE-induced arrythmias. It is not known whether beta blockers prevent DFE-induced arrythmias and death.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Difluoroethane.svg‎|Difluoroethane molecules can be found in commercial electronics dusters.<ref>{{Citation | title=Getting Off Right | url=https://harmreduction.org/issues/safer-drug-use/injection-safety-manual/}}</ref>
File:Tetrafluoroethane.svg|Tetrafluoroethane molecules can be found in commercial electronics dusters.
File:Dustoff.png|Dustoff is commercial electronics duster that is commonly abused.
</gallery>
</center>
 
An anecdotal report of electronics duster experiences can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=83412|A Keyboard Cleaner Trip Report]
 
=====Liquid=====
 
======Gasoline/petrol======
{{GenericPanel/warning
| title=Gasoline is never safe to inhale. ''Medical gasoline'' is designed for topical use, for example to make it easy to remove adhesive residues from plaster and band-aid. It is not safe to inhale medical gasoline, just because the purification from lead eliminates lead toxicity. Medical gasoline still consists of aliphatic hydrocarbons and can cause sudden death though hydrocarbon toxicity.
}}
 
[[File:USMC-07664.jpg|300px|thumbnail|A range of petroleum-based products that can be abused as inhalants.]]
 
Use of this inhalant can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.
 
This substance is highly flammable and should be treated with care.
 
Petrol, or gasoline, is a toxic liquid that is volatile at room temperatures. This makes it easy to inhale the vapors from sniffing a container full of liquid gasoline and achieving effects ranging from [[internal hallucinations|hallucinations]] to numbness and [[cognitive euphoria]]. Gasoline that is inhaled from a gas can, or car can contain other carcinogenic and psychoactive chemicals, such as toluene, benzene, and xylene<ref>Unleaded Gasoline 2015 MSDS http://www.docs.citgo.com/msds_pi/UNLEAD.pdf</ref>. The mixed chemical contents of gasoline make it inherently unsafe to inhale over sustained periods of time.
 
Gasoline as a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons contains many components, some of which are psychoactive or toxic to the body. Gasoline may contain ethanol, toluene, benzene, and many other volatile chemicals that will emit vapors that will be inhaled when abused. In areas where leaded gas is not banned, lead encephalopathy and brain degeneration may be caused by gasoline sniffing <ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Ross, C. A.)) | journal=CMAJ | title=Gasoline sniffing and lead encephalopathy | volume=127 | issue=12 | pages=1195–1197 | date=15 December 1982 | url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1874752/pdf/canmedaj01381-0049.pdf | issn=0820-3946}}</ref>. Benzene is also a known constituent of gasoline vapors and is known to contribute to leukemia and other blood disorders<ref>{{Citation | year=2015 | title=Benzene - Cancer-Causing Substances - NCI | url=https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/benzene}}</ref>.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Gascan.jpg|Gasoline vapors are commonly inhaled through the "neck" of the gas can.
File:GasolineComp.png| A variety of VOCs are found in gasoline that may have psychoactive and harmful effects.
File:Flammable Gas.gif|This chemical is highly flammable!
</gallery>
</center>
 
Anecdotal reports of gasoline inhalation experiences can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=54819| "A Second World" A Gasoline Trip Report]
*[https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=81631| "Karmic Retribution: An Experience with Inhalants (Gasoline)"]
*[https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=24386| "Addicted to Gasoline"]
 
======Toluene======
Use of this inhalant can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.
 
Toluene is a chemical solvent commonly used in industry. It is a liquid solvent that is volatile at room temperatures, making the vapors easy to inhale by sniffing a product containing toluene. It has a sweet smell and is colorless. Its vapors can be inhaled from soaking a rag in toluene containing liquids or sniffing the vapors directly from glue emitting toluene vapors. It can found in gasoline, acrylic paints, varnishes, lacquers, paint thinners, adhesives, glues, rubber cement, airplane glue, and shoe polish, among various other common everyday household items. Toluene can be absorbed through the skin in addition to being inhaled.<ref>{{Citation | title=CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards - Toluene | url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0619.html}}</ref>
 
Exposure to the high concentrations used in toluene abuse can cause many acute physical and cognitive effects ranging from [[nausea]], [[dizziness]], drowsiness, general CNS depression, [[sedation]], [[motor control loss]], and [[hallucinatory states]]<ref>Toluene MSDS http://www.labchem.com/tools/msds/msds/LC26170.pdf</ref>. The [[hallucinatory states]] induced by toluene can be assessed by experience reports submitted by users.
 
Long term damage to the central nervous system has been well-documented among long-term inhalant users of toluene.<ref name="Filley2004">{{cite journal | vauthors=((Filley, C. M.)), ((Halliday, W.)), ((Kleinschmidt-Demasters, B. K.)) | journal=Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology | title=The Effects of Toluene on the Central Nervous System | volume=63 | issue=1 | pages=1–12 | date= January 2004 | url=https://academic.oup.com/jnen/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jnen/63.1.1 | issn=0022-3069 | doi=10.1093/jnen/63.1.1}}</ref> The long-term effects of chronic toluene exposure include changes in sleeping patterns, liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, persistent neurological damage, and death<ref> Toluene Toxicology Profile https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp56.pdf</ref>.
 
Toluene is known to cause congenital disabilities and the birth rate of children when used by pregnant women <ref>{{Citation | title=Toluene - Overview, Occupational Safety and Health Administration | url=https://www.osha.gov/toluene}}</ref>. It is a possible carcinogen, and its nature as a carcinogen is unknown is due to insufficient data from the EPA <ref>Toluene Fact Sheet https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/toluene.pdf. </ref>. Caution should be used if choosing to inhale this chemical in recreational amounts (i.e. over a single experience and over long periods of time).
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="200px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Toluene.svg‎|The molecular structure of toluene.
File:Toluene glue.jpg|A common brand of toluene-based glue.
File:Toluene_paint_thinner.jpg|A common brand of toluene based paint thinner.
</gallery>
</center>
 
An anecdotal report of toluene experiences via glue sniffing can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=57668|A Glue Inhalant Trip Report]
*[https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=88914|A Glue Inhalant Trip Report - "Glue Sniffing Nightmare"]
 
=====Liquid/gas mixtures=====
 
======Freon======
Freon is a trademark name for fluorinated hydrocarbons. Freon is an odorless gas commonly used as refrigerants and aerosol propellants, it's also found in air conditioning units. They are stable, nonflammable, low toxicity gases or liquids.
 
Use of this inhalant can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.  
 
This class of chemical refrigerants can be abused as a psychoactive substance. Pure Freon is a brand manufactured by DuPont, the most current brand of Freon being phased out of production is R-22 and contains primarily chlorodifluoromethane. There are many different variants of the brand name Freon and the chemical composition varies along with the "R-x" name given the refrigerant. Some people huff Freon directly from AC units and this is a dangerous practice as one does not know the exact type of Freon found in an AC unit, much less the potential chemical contaminants found in the gas from the AC unit.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Chlorodifluoromethane.svg| Chlorodifluoromethane is found in Freon R-22
File:R-22-freon.png| The most common type of refridgerant used for huffing is DuPont's Freon R-22, coming in teal barrels.
File:manyfreons.jpg| There are many different formulations of Freon and each is contained in a color coded compressed barrel.
</gallery>
</center>
 
An anecdotal report of Freon experiences can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=13789|A Freon Trip Report]
 
A NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) International Chemical Safety Card for R-22 as one example of these chemical refrigerants can be found here:
 
*[https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0124.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB81123 CDC - CHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE - International Chemical Safety Cards - NIOSH]
 
====Ketones====
A solvent is something that emits vapors that can be inhaled for their psychoactive effects. The liquid form of the solvent itself is not consumed. Some common forms of psychoactive solvents are toluene containing paint thinners and lacquers, spray paint, and blends of hydrocarbons such as gasoline or petrol.
 
=====Liquid=====
 
======Acetone======
Use of this inhalant can cause sudden death upon inhalation and is not advisable from a harm reduction perspective.
 
Acetone is a liquid solvent that is volatile at room temperatures. The vapors of acetone are flammable and so extra caution should be taken when handling and using acetone.
 
Its vapors can be sniffed and are known to have damaging physical effects such as respiratory tract irritation<ref>Acetone MSDS http://physics.utsa.edu/memslab/MSDS/Acetone.pdf</ref>. The acute effects of acetone exposure through inhalation and dermal exposure include CNS depression, [[dizziness]], [[sedation]], [[motor control loss]], and "narcosis" which can be interpreted as drunkenness or otherwise intoxicant effects<ref>Acetone MSDS http://physics.utsa.edu/memslab/MSDS/Acetone.pdf</ref>. This evidence suggests that acetone acts as a psychoactive chemical in high concentrations.
 
<center>
<gallery caption="" widths="300px" location="centre" perrow="4">
File:Acetone.svg|The chemical acetone is a volatile liquid at room temperatures and produces vapors that may be inhaled.
File:Acetoneremover.jpg|The acetone found in many household items, such as nail polish remover, can be sniffed to produce a psychoactive effect.
File:acetone_Label.jpg| The hazard chart for acetone shows that it is a flammable vapor.
</gallery>
</center>
 
===Toxicity and harm potential for toxic inhalants===
'''There is no safe way to consume aerosol sprays, or solvents, as sudden death upon inhalation is always a present risk.'''
 
Some inhalant users become injured due to the harmful effects of the inhalants themselves, or due to other chemical by-products that are unintentionally inhaled in a contaminated solvent.
 
The specific toxicities of each inhalant are given below, but inhalants as a class of substances are among the most harmful and dangerous to use due to the possibility of long-term health damage, and sudden death.
 
Certain inhalants, such as hydrocarbons (e.g. butane, propane), toluene cause renal, liver, lung, and bone marrow damage.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Kurtzman, T. L.)), ((Otsuka, K. N.)), ((Wahl, R. A.)) | journal=Journal of Adolescent Health | title=Inhalant abuse by adolescents | volume=28 | issue=3 | pages=170–180 | date= March 2001 | url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1054139X00001592 | issn=1054139X | doi=10.1016/S1054-139X(00)00159-2}}</ref>
 
Pneumonia, cardiac failure or arrest, or aspiration of vomit are other common causes of death after inhalant use. Brain damage is typically seen with the chronic long-term use of solvents, while short-term exposure carries a lower chance of permanent brain damage<ref name="Filley2004" />.
 
====Lethal dosage====
The lethal doses of inhalants vary depending on the substance used. All nonmedical inhalants are inherently dangerous to use and may cause sudden death.
 
Sudden sniffing death syndrome<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Bowen, S. E.)) | journal=Substance Use & Misuse | title=Two Serious and Challenging Medical Complications Associated with Volatile Substance Misuse: Sudden Sniffing Death and Fetal Solvent Syndrome | volume=46 | issue=sup1 | pages=68–72 | date=24 May 2011 | url=https://doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2011.580220 | issn=1082-6084 | doi=10.3109/10826084.2011.580220}}</ref>, also known as SSDS, is when inhalants indirectly cause sudden death by cardiac arrest, in a syndrome known as "sudden sniffing death." In some cases, the anesthetic gasses present in the inhalants themselves appear to sensitize the user to adrenaline treatment by emergency medical services and, in this state of intoxication, a sudden surge of adrenaline (possibly from a frightening hallucination or run-in with other persons), may cause fatal cardiac arrhythmia.
 
===Experience reports===
There are currently no anecdotal reports which describe the effects of inhalants within our [[experience index]]. Additional experience reports can be found here:
 
*[https://erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Inhalants.shtml Erowid Experience Vaults: Inhalants Reports (also Glue, Freon, Propellants, Solvents)]
 
==Methods of inhalation==
 
===Gases===
For nitrous oxide see also: [[#Impurity filtration from decompressed cream chargers|Impurity filtration from decompressed cream chargers]]
 
====Inhalation from balloons====
To avoid frostbite, the gas is decompressed into a balloon, which is then inhaled.
 
====Direct inhalation of decompressed gas (dangerous)====
Other forms of inhalants are gases that are inhaled directly from a pressurized container (e.g. computer duster, butane gas, [[nitrous oxide]] or xenon gas). These gases can be inhaled directly from a compressed chemical canister (as is the case with butane gas and computer duster), which may cause physical harm due to the freezing of skin tissue as the gas expands in the lungs.
 
It is imperative that one ensure an adequate flow of oxygen to the brain while using inhalants to minimize the chances of permanent brain damage.
 
====Aerosol products====
 
=====Filtering=====
[[File:Febreeze.jpg|thumb|Febreeze (TM)]]
 
Air fresheners are inhaled in a similar matter to hairspray inhalation. A rag is placed over the mouth, which the air freshener is discharged into and subsequently inhaled.
 
===Solvents===
Solvents are inhaled at room temperature through the inhalation of the gases emitted from a solvent, as seen in the case of recreational gasoline or acetone use. One must inhale the vapors from the solvent or gas itself via the nose or mouth. Inhalants that are solvents are commonly used by saturating the cloth with spray paint or other liquid materials, then placing this soaked rag over the nose and mouth, which result in the inhalation of the vapors from the rag. This subsequent inhalation often produces feelings of [[euphoria]], especially when huffing generic "glue" or "paint thinner" that may contain high volumes of toluene and other hydrocarbons.
 
====Huffing====
Some common for inhalation include "huffing"<ref>{{Citation | title=Urban Dictionary: huffing | url=https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=huffing}}</ref> which is the process of filling a bag up with a solvent and inhaling the resulting fumes and "bagging"<ref>{{Citation | title=Urban Dictionary: bagging | url=https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bagging}}</ref> which is the process of spraying a solvent into a plastic bag of some sort and inhaling the vapors that emit from it. In the process of inhalation by bagging, the exhaled air is re-breathed by the user, and the resulting lack of oxygen and elevated breathing rates may add to the intoxicating and harmful effects of the solvent.
 
==Toxicity and harm potential==
[[File:HarmCausedByDrugsTable.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|Table from the 2010 ISCD study ranking various drugs (legal and illegal) based on statements by drug-harm experts. Butane was found to be the 14th overall most dangerous drug.<ref name="Nutt_2010">{{cite journal | vauthors = Nutt DJ, King LA, Phillips LD | title = Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis | journal = Lancet | volume = 376 | issue = 9752 | pages = 1558–1565 | date = November 2010 | pmid = 21036393 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61462-6 | s2cid = 5667719 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.690.1283 }}</ref>]]
 
'''This section covers risks general risks for both medical and nonmedical inhalants. For specific risks with nonmedical inhalants, see [[#Toxicity and harm potential for dangerous inhalants|Toxicity and harm potential for toxic inhalants]]'''
 
It is strongly recommended that one use [[responsible use|harm reduction practices]] when using this class of substances.
 
Both medical and nonmedical inhalants should be avoided by:
 
*Inhaling large quantities continuously with a strap-on mask connected to a gas canister. Because it will eventually cause oxygen deprivation. In some cases, users have died from a lack of oxygen, also known as hypoxia{{citation needed}}.
*Inhaling compressed gas directly from a container. Because it can cause aerosol burn and frostbite.
 
===Addiction potential===
The chronic use of many inhalants can be considered [[Addiction potential::moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse]] and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and [[withdrawal effects]] may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.
 
===Oxygen deprivation===
The direct inhalation of any gas or solvent that is capable of displacing oxygen in the lungs (especially gases heavier than oxygen itself) carries the risk of hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) as a result of the very mechanism by which breathing is triggered.
 
Since reflexive breathing is prompted by elevated carbon dioxide levels rather than diminished blood oxygen levels, breathing a concentrated and inert solvent or gas (ex: tetrafluoromethane or [[nitrous oxide]]) that removes carbon dioxide from the blood without replacing it with oxygen will produce no outward signs of suffocation even when the brain is experiencing hypoxia.
 
Once full symptoms of hypoxia appear, it may be too late to breathe without assistance, especially if the gas is heavy enough to sink in and remain in the lungs for extended periods of time. Even completely inert gasses, such as argon, can have this effect if oxygen is largely excluded. This dangerous property of heavy gasses makes many inhalants inherently unsafe.
 
If one is inhaling an inhalant that is a pure compound, they will not be inhaling any oxygen. Severe oxygen deprivation can lead to unconsciousness and death. 'Huffing' from a bag that contains no fresh oxygen source is an especially risky practice in this respect. When inhaling gasses directly from a balloon or canister, it is imperative that one also intake an adequate amount of oxygen to prevent brain damage and cell death.
 
==Legal status==
{{legalStub}}
Many solvents and gasses that can be abused can be obtained easily in a legal manner across all continents; these include solvents, adhesives, fuels, dry-cleaning agents, cigarette lighters, permanent markers, correction fluid, and aerosols with propellants used in whipped cream, deodorants, paints, electronic cleaning sprays, and cooking sprays. Many inhalants or solvents that can be abused are readily available, easy to purchase, not illegal to possess, easy to conceal, and are found in households. Prosecution of offenders tends to be minimal, and few US states have laws prohibiting inhalant abuse.
 
==See also==
 
*[[Responsible use]]
 
==External links==
 
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inhalant Inhalant (Wikipedia)]
*[https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/inhalants/ Inhalants (Erowid Vault)]
 
==Literature==
 
*Woodward, J. J., & Beckley, J. (2014). Effects of the abused inhalant toluene on the mesolimbic dopamine system. Journal of drug and alcohol research, 3. https://doi.org/10.4303/jdar/235838
 
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
 
[[Category:Inhalant|*]]
[[Category:Substance]]
[[Category:Psychoactive substance]]
[[Category:Proofread]]
Retrieved from "http://psy.st/wiki/Inhalants"