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INHALANTS“Inhalants” refers to the vapors from toxic substances, which are inhaled to reach an

incredibly strong yet short high.

HISTORY

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

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.

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 by-products”.

Joseph Priestly

Sir Humphry Davy

1799- Sir Humphry Davy was a British chemist who initially studied inhalants and gasses.

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”

He is best known to have invented the safety lamp for miners, and he also discovered iodine.

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

Around the mid 1800s, nitrous oxide, ether and chloroform were the anesthetics most commonly used.

Dentist Horace Wells personally experimented with Nitrous Oxide to remove one of his own teeth.

It was from this point on that nitrous oxide was used to relieve pain during surgeries.

Horace Wells

Early 1900’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.

In the 1940s, recreational use of solvents, primarily gasoline, became popular.

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

Fast forward to current day, there are now over one thousand products that can be inhaled.

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

The most common inhalants are whippets and poppers.

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

Nosebleeds Slurred Speech

Headaches Hallucinations

Nausea Hostility

Vomiting Prolonged Sniffing

Unconsciousness Impaired Judgment

Long-Term Effects

Muscle Weakness Memory Impairment

Disorientation Hearing Loss

Lack of Coordination Bone Marrow Damage

Damage to Internal Organs Death

Long-Term Continued

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

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

“22.9 million Americans” have tried inhalants,

“22% of inhalant abusers who died of Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome had no history of previous inhalant abuse”

Over 2.6 Million children, ages 12-17, use inhalants to get high

Inhalants tend to be the drug that is first tried by children

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

BBC News. BBC. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/davy_humphrey.shtml

 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.

 "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.

 "Inhalant Statistics and Reports - Inhalant Abuse Prevention." Inhalant Abuse Prevention. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://www.inhalant.org/media/inhalant-statistics-and-reports/>.

 "Nitrous Oxide History Air Liquide." Nitrous Oxide History Air Liquide. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.airliquide.com/en/company/our-businesses-our-products/other-gases/nitrous-oxide-2/nitrous-oxide-history.html>.

 "Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS)." CODA. 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2014. <http://www.drugabuse.ca/sudden-sniffing-death-syndrome-ssds>.