Inhalant Abuse Defined
While it's true that many other illicit substances like meth and crack can be inhaled in order to feel their effects, the "inhalant" category is used to refer to products that are only ever inhaled. Other drugs can be injected, snorted, and smoked as well.
What's more, inhalants are also typically products that are not produced solely for the purpose of recreational use and can oftentimes be found around the house. For instance, certain types of aerosol sprays, solvents, gases, and nitrites can all be used as inhalants. Some common examples of household inhalants are:
- Glues
- Gasoline
- Shoe polish
- Lighter fluid
- Deodorizers
- Lacquers
When the fumes of these substances are inhaled into the lungs, users will experience a brief (usually only several minutes) high that's characterized by euphoria, dizziness, lack of coordination, and the development of delusions. Some describe it as being similar to the effects of alcohol. Since the high is so short-lived, some inhalant abusers will continue to supplement and prolong the high by using again every few minutes, sometimes for hours at a time.
One of the biggest dangers when it comes to inhalants is the fact that they are so readily available and easily obtained. Similar to cold medicine (also abused more than most people think), while many homes may already contain several if not many products that can be inhaled for a psychoactive effect, users can simply find them at the store as well.
What's more, many of these products are loosely regulated or, as is more likely the case, not regulated at all. Some states, however, bar the sale of certain substances like industrial glues and lacquers directly to minors. But as much as these regulations may help, it's near impossible to regulate all the products that are used as inhalants solely because there are far too many.