1. How Youth Can Get High Legally and Without Cost
Inhalants
How Youth Can Get High Legally and Without Cost
By: Jon Agley, M.P.H.

2. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
By the end of this presentation:
you will have…
(1) Been exposed to general information about Inhalants.
(2) Learned some basic facts about Inhalant users in Indiana.
(3) Viewed the potential consequences of Inhalant use, both short-term and long-term.
(4) Learned how to begin to help someone who you think may be addicted.
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3. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Why Inhalants?
Inhalants don’t get a lot of attention.
But…
In the 1990s, they were the second most commonly-used illicit drug among year olds.
(Brouette & Anton, 2001).
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4. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Why Inhalants?
Between 1996 and 1999, 240 deaths in the United States were attributed to inhalant use.
(Brouette & Anton, 2001).
I present these data not to be “frightening,” but to emphasize that sniffing glue, “white-out,” gas, or any similar substance is not a game, nor is it harmless.
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5. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
What are Inhalants?
“Inhalants” is the name given to a range of common household solvent products such as:
Glue
Markers
Computer Cleaner
Gasoline
Hair Spray
Aerosol Cans
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6. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
What are Inhalants?
“Inhalants” also refers to gases such as:
Butane
Helium
Freon
Propane
Nitrous Oxide
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7. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
What are Inhalants?
The name “Inhalants” comes from the fact that these items are usually abused by sniffing or inhaling fumes.
Almost every form of Inhalant can be purchased legally.
There are thousands of different inhalants!
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8. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
What are common "street names?"
Typical street names include:
Huff
Highball
Bang
Dust
Kick
Moon Gas
Poor Man’s Pot
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9. Signs of Inhalant Abuse:
Common paraphernalia: Not always present during Inhalant abuse.
Socks
Balloons
Paper Bags
Rags

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Signs of Inhalant Abuse:
It is important to realize that most Inhalant use is not detectable by means of traditional drug tests.
Someone who is addicted to “getting high” and whose parents or peers are actively preventing other illegal substance abuse might turn to Inhalants because the products are:
small
easily concealed
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11. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Signs of Inhalant Abuse:
For both male and female adolescents, depression is significantly correlated with inhalant use (Kubik et al., 2003).
This means:
Youth who are depressed might turn to inhalant use.
Inhalant use itself might cause depression.
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12. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Signs of Inhalant Abuse:
Physical signs of inhalant use include:
Paint or stains on the body or clothing.
Spots, sores, or rashes around the mouth/nose.
Drunk/dazed/dizzy appearance without another explanation.
Hidden, unexplainable, inhalant products.
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13. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Who uses Inhalants?
There is no known age group that is not at risk for Inhalant abuse.
However, Inhalant abusers are…
- More likely to be between ages 12 and 17.
- More likely to be white/non-Hispanic.
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14. Any of these teenagers is a potential user.
Who uses Inhalants?

15. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Is Inhalant use a problem in Indiana?
3.1% of Indiana students between grades 6 and 12 reported abusing Inhalants on a monthly basis in 2003.
Among severely addicted drug users, Inhalant use usually began 6 months before marijuana use.
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16. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Is Inhalant use a problem in Indiana?
No study has found conclusive proof about Inhalants’ status as a gateway drug as of this point in time.
The fact that addicts report Inhalant use near the beginning of their life-long drug addictions is a definite warning sign.
In other words, not only can Inhalants be used as a supplement for other drug use…
Inhalants also have the potential to encourage users to explore other means of achieving a high.
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17. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
According to the 2005 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Survey:
“Inhalant use warrants watching as it may have serious and immediate health consequences, even for first time users.”
Yes, Inhalant use is a problem.
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18. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
What are the short-term effects
of Inhalant abuse?
Nausea
Unconsciousness
Short-term High
Vomiting
Seizures
Loss of Inhibition
Slurred Speech
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19. Much More Dangerous Effects Include:
What are the long-term effects
of Inhalant abuse?
Much More Dangerous Effects Include:
Brain Damage
Prolonged Nausea
Liver Damage
Lack of Appetite
Kidney Damage
Irritability
Damage to Immune System
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20. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Can Inhalant use be fatal?
Yes
In extreme cases…
The irregular heart rate resulting from Inhalant use can be fatal. This is called Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS).
Abuse of Nitrous Oxide can also be fatal due to a lack of Oxygen flow to the brain.
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21. Indiana Prevention Resource Center
How can I help someone who is addicted?
Be A Friend:
Ridding the body of the poison (Detoxification) often takes up to a month, so it is important to help with abstinence efforts in order to prevent a relapse.
A shift in social circles is important, since Inhalant abuse is often associated with peer groups.
Call the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition at:
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22. Just because possession of commonly inhaled substances is not illegal does not mean that they are not harmful!
According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition:
It is extremely important to avoid exciting or stressing people who have recently huffed; this can lead to SSDS.

23. Resources
The Indiana Prevention Resource Center’s Survey on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents; Data from
The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
The National Institute on Drug Abuse
Other References:
Bailey, W.J. et al. (2003). Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by
Indiana Children and Adolescents: The Indiana Prevention
Resource Center Survey – 2003 (IDAP Monograph No ).
Bloomington, IN: Indiana Prevention Resouce Center.
Brouette, T. & Anton, R. (2001). Clinical review of inhalants. The
American Journal on Addictions, 10,
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (March 2003) Inhalants.
Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory, 3.1. Retrieved February 11,
2004, from:
Jones-McKyer, E.L. et al. (2004). Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug
Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents: The Indiana Prevention
Resource Center Survey – 2004 (IDAP Monograph No ).
Bloomington, IN: Indiana Prevention Resource Center.
Kubik, M.Y., Lytle, L.A., Birnbaum, A.S., Murray, D.M., and Perry,
C.L. (2003). American Journal of Health Behavior, 27(5),
Mathias, Robert (November 2002). Chronic Solvent Abusers Have
More Brain Abnormalities and Cognitive Impairments Than
Cocaine Abusers. NIDA Notes, Retrieved July 15, 2004,
from:
Chronic.html.
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. (2005). Symptoms of Inhalant
Abuse. Retrieved July 10, 2006, from:
Research Report Series – Inhalant Abuse. (n.d.) Retrieved February
5, 2004, from:
Inhalants/Inhalants4.html.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
(2003). Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and
Health: National Findings (Offi ce of Applied Studies, NHSDA
Series H-22, DHHS Publication No. SMA 03–3836). Rockville,
MD.
Walker, D. D., Venner, K., Hill, D.E., Meyers, R.J., Miller,
W.R. (2004). A comparison of alcohol and drug disorders: Is there
evidence for a developmental sequence of drug abuse? Addictive
Behaviors, 29,

24. Indiana Prevention Resource Center E-mail: drugprc@indiana.edu
Contact us
Indiana Prevention Resource Center
2735 East 10th Street, CA110
Bloomington, IN
Phone: or
Fax:
Content in this presentation based, in part, on a Factline produced by Matthew Lee Smith, MPH, and Jonathan Agley, BA, in 2004 and © The Indiana Prevention Resource Center.
The Indiana Prevention Resource Center is funded, in part, by a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, financially supported through HHS/Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.  The IPRC is operated by the Indiana University Department of Applied Health Science and School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.  It is affiliated with the Department's Institute of Drug Abuse Prevention. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Trustees of Indiana University or the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Indiana University accepts full responsibility for the content of this publication. © Copyright, 2005 by the Trustees of Indiana University.
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