Inhalants

Inhalants are volatile substances, chemicals that produce vapors. These vapors can be inhaled—known as huffing, chroming, or bagging—to induce mind-altering effects. Although other substances can be misused through inhalation, inhalants are substances that people take by inhaling them.¹

Inhalants may have a variety of effects and are found in hundreds of different products. There are four general categories of inhalants: volatile solvents, aerosols, gases, and nitrites.²

• Volatile solvents are liquids that vaporize at room temperature. They are found in many inexpensive, easily available products used in homes or businesses. Volatile solvents include paint thinners and removers, dry-cleaning fluids, degreasers, gasoline, glues, correction fluids, and felt-tip markers.
• Aerosols include spray paints, hair and deodorant sprays, vegetable oil sprays for cooking, and fabric protector sprays.
• Gases include anesthetics used for medical procedures like ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide (often called laughing gas). Nitrous oxide is sold in small vials known as whippets or chargers. These can release vapors into whipped cream, bags or a balloon. Household or commercial products containing gases include butane lighters, propane tanks, and refrigerants.
• Nitrites are sold in small bottles known as “poppers.”  Unlike most other inhalants, which act directly on the central nervous system, nitrites primarily dilate blood vessels and relax the muscles. 

The rate of inhalant use has been generally declining in the United States in the past two decades.³ In 2023 less than 1% of people ages 12 and older reported using inhalants at least once in the past year.⁴ See the National Survey on Drug Use and Heath for recent data.

Inhalants are most commonly used by adolescents, especially younger adolescents. According to the NIDA-funded Monitoring the Future survey, around 4% of 8th graders (around 14 years old) had used inhalants in the last year. Find recent statistics on inhalant use from the survey.

Depending on the particular product, chemicals found in inhalants may produce effects similar to alcohol, sedatives, or the early stages of anesthesia.²  There may be a short-lasting high along with feelings of warmth and excitement. Other effects may include light-headedness, seeing things in a distorted way, or disorganized thinking.  

Side effects can include feeling drowsy, dizzy, or agitated or having blurred vision or headaches. If enough of the substance is inhaled, nearly all solvents and gases can produce numbness—a general loss of physical sensation —and can lead to unconsciousness.⁵

Laboratory and human research show that most inhalants are extremely toxic.⁶ The chemicals found in solvents, aerosol sprays, and gases can produce a variety of negative health effects, some of which can be fatal.⁷  These include:

• Short-term side effects. These include impaired judgment and functioning in work or social situations. Nausea and vomiting are other common side effects. Exposure to high doses can also cause confusion and delirium. In addition, people may experience dizziness, drowsiness, slurred speech, lethargy, slower reflexes, and muscle weakness.
• Potentially fatal side effects. The highly concentrated chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can induce irregular and rapid heart rhythms and lead to fatal heart failure within minutes of use. The toxic chemicals in inhalants and the way people use them can also cause a person to stop breathing. These fatal effects, known as "sudden sniffing death," can happen even when a person uses inhalants just one time.^2,8 
• Harm to the brain. Perhaps the most significant toxic effect of long-term exposure to inhalants is damage to the brain and other parts of the nervous system.⁹  For example, research shows that chronic use of solvents such as toluene or naphthalene (an ingredient in mothballs) affects the protective sheath around certain nerve fibers in the brain. This can damage parts of the brain involved in controlling thinking, movement, vision, and hearing.⁷ Research shows that long-term use of inhalants can cause memory, attention, and judgement problems.²
• Mental health disorders. Long-term use of inhalants has been strongly associated with prevalence of personality, mood, and anxiety disorders, including major depression.¹⁰
• Damage to other organs. Chronic exposure to inhalants can cause serious damage to the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. Although some of this damage may be reversible if a person stops using inhalants, many of the health issues related to repeated or prolonged use may be irreversible.²
• Risks to a developing baby during pregnancy. Inhalant use during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, cleft palate, hearing loss, slow growth, a decrease in muscle tone, and developmental delays in infants.^2,5

Signs and symptoms of inhalant use include:

• Chemical odors on breath or clothing.
• Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothing.
• Hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers, and chemical-soaked rags or clothing.
• Dazed or disoriented appearance.
• Slurred speech.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Inattentiveness, lack of coordination, anxiety, irritability, and depression.²

Many people who use inhalants report a strong need to continue using them even if they wish to stop, particularly those who have used them for long periods or over many days. Regular use of inhalants can lead to symptoms of withdrawal after a person stops using them, including irritability, anxiety, and drug craving.¹¹  Other symptoms of inhalant use disorder include having mental health problems or significant problems carrying out daily life activities.¹²

Of the people who use inhalants, about 0.1%, over 300,000 people, reported having an inhalant use disorder in the past 12 months.⁴