Inhalants refer to substances that are sniffed or huffed to give the user an immediate head rush or high. They include a diverse group of chemicals that are found in consumer products such as aerosols and cleaning solvents. Inhalant use can cause a number of physical and emotional problems, and even one-time use can result in death.

Using inhalants even one time can put you at risk for:

• sudden death
• suffocation
• visual hallucinations and severe mood swings
• numbness and tingling of the hands and feet

Prolonged use can result in:

• headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain
• decrease or loss of sense of smell
• nausea and nosebleeds
• hepatitis
• violent behaviors
• irregular heartbeat
• liver, lung, and kidney impairment
• irreversible brain damage
• nervous system damage
• dangerous chemical imbalances in the body
• involuntary passing of urine and feces

Short-term effects of inhalants include:

• heart palpitations
• breathing difficulty
• dizziness
• headaches

Remember, using inhalants, even one time, can kill you. According to medical experts, death can occur in at least five ways:

1. asphyxia--solvent gases can significantly limit available oxygen in the air, causing breathing to stop;
2. suffocation--typically seen with inhalant users who use bags;
3. choking on vomit;
4. careless behaviors in potentially dangerous settings; and
5. sudden sniffing death syndrome, presumably from cardiac arrest.