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Inhalants

If you're a parent, you may fear that your kids will use drugs such as marijuana or LSD. But you may not realize the dangers of substances in your own home. Household products such as glues, hair sprays, paints and lighter fluid can be drugs for kids in search of a quick high. Many young people inhale vapors from these not knowing that serious health problems can result.

Parents and kids both need to know this is very dangerous. Even one session of inhalant abuse can disrupt heart rhythms and lower oxygen levels. Either of these can cause death. Regular abuse can result in serious harm to the brain, heart, kidneys and liver.

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Inhalant on Wikipedia

'''Inhalants''' are a chemically diverse group of psychoactive substances composed of organic solvents and volatile substances commonly found in more than 1000 common household products, such as glues, hair spray, air fresheners, gasoline, naptha, and paint. The practice of inhaling such substances is sometimes colloqiually referred to as '''solvent abuse''' or '''huffing'''. It has existed in very poor populations in various urban slums around the world at least since the 1960s. Solvents are some of the most dangerous substances used recreationally, and can cause serious damage to the brain and central nervous system, and are generally only used by young substance abusers or as a desperate last resort for financially deprived drug addicts. While not regulated in the United States under the Controlled Substances Act, many states have placed restrictions on the sale of these products to minors.

Methods of use

Inhalants may be sniffed directly from an open container or "huffed" from a rag soaked in the substance and held to the face. Alternatively, the open container or soaked rag can be placed in a plastic bag where the vapors concentrate, and the bag held to the face as the user inhales. Solvent-based glue and markers are generally held to the nose, and the fumes inhaled. Propane and butane may be inhaled directly from the canister. Although inhalant abusers may prefer one particular substance because of the odor or taste, a variety of substances may be used because of their similar effects, availability, and cost. Once inhaled, the extensive capillary surface of the lungs allows rapid absorption of the substance, and blood levels peak rapidly. Entry into the brain is so fast that the effects of inhalation can resemble the intensity of effects produced by intravenous injection of other psychoactive drugs. In several parts of the world ...   [ Read More ]


External Resources

Poetic Inhalation - An exploration of underground and surrealist poetry and art.

Snuff Bullets King - Sells snorting devices for storing, measuring, and inhaling tobacco and herbal snuff powders.

Inhale Success - Conscious breathing and visualization program replacing early-life negative imprinting with a positive script.

Aromatherapy Products - Essential oils, candles and incense, diffusers, and inhalation beads. Also offers feng shui products and jewelry.

Aromabar. Medicinal Aromatherapy Inhalants - Unusual proprietary room diffuser with its own oils, in a totally organic proprietary material, Aromabar holds essential oil in a solid state, for diffusion in an average sized room.

Shelley's Herbals - All natural, hand-made herbal remedies including specialty oils and salves, aromatherapy and inhalants, and skin care products.

Advanced Inhalation Revolutions, Inc. - Herbal vaporizer offering an alternative to smoking, by heating herbs creating a vapor as opposed to burning.

Ricana Oxygen - Oxygen generator combining water and specially formulated powders for inhalation, with product description and purpose, and operating instructions.

Prescriptions Plus - Specializing in Medicare prescriptions and supplies. Specific products include diabetic syringes, meters, control solutions and test strips; respiratory inhalers, nebulizers, and impotence medications and devices.

Tressl Products Inc. - Insulated carrying cases for inhalers and Epipen-type syringes for asthmatics and anaphylastic sufferers.



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