INHALANTS

 

Inhalants are chemicals that people sniff or breathe in. These products are usually labelled as solvents (strong cleaners) or volatile substances (that means they can disappear into the air quickly). It also means that product may explode or catch on fire easily. Young people such as teenagers uses inhalants as replacement to a much more expensive drugs or alcohol.

Inhalants give off fumes or vapors at room temperature, and that can make someone feel ‘spaced out’ or ‘out of it’. Most of them act as depressants which means they slow down the brain so that the person cannot react quickly to a situation which could be dangerous.

Short-term effects on the body

The effects of these products to the body are immediate however it varies to depending on the user. Whether the person is a first time or habitual or regular sniffer, how and where they take it, how much they take, their mood, their health and whether they are using other drugs such as alcohol.

Some people who have used inhalants subject to the following effects:

  • Feeling ‘Spaced Out’ and Not Sure Where They are
  • Feeling Excited and Confident
  • Everything Looks Blurry
  • Sleepy
  • Not Being Able to Talk Properly
  • Not Able to Move Normally
  • Feeling Like They Don’t Care
  • Laughing for no Real Reason
  • Feeling Light-Headed
  • Feeling Sick and Throwing Up
  • Sneezing, Coughing or Dribbling
  • Feeling Really Thirsty
  • Eyes Hurting in the Light
  • Becoming Unconscious
  • Having Epileptic Fits
  • Having Headaches or Feeling Hang-Over Afterwards

Death

Some people using inhalants or any drugs get involved in different crimes and ended up getting killed. Some died because of complications such as having done an extensive work after using inhalants while others have died from suffocation. There is no safe way to inhale, and death is a risk, no matter how much the person has used them.

What happens over time?

People using inhalants over a longer period of time may experience:

  • More Damage to the Brain – They have Memory Loss, Confusion, Anger, Thinking Problems, Extreme Tiredness, Clumsiness, Headaches
  • Lack of Motivation to do anything
  • Losing Friends and Only Hang Out with others who are also into ‘Sniffing’
  • Damage to the Body – Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidneys
  • Lead Poisoning from Sniffing Petrol if it has Lead in it
  • Losing Weight because they Lose Interest in Food
  • Sores around the Mouth and Nose
  • Nosebleeds and Sore Eyes
  • Addiction and dependence to inhalants

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