Inhalant 15501 225625137 2008-07-14T16:47:37Z Bjweeks 321557 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Glass Ball Blower|Glass Ball Blower]] ([[User talk:Glass Ball Blower|talk]]) to last version by Tj9991 {{redirect|Huffing|other meanings|Huff}} {{about|non-medical use of inhalants|medical inhalants|List of medical inhalants}} '''Inhalants''' are a broad range of [[drug]]s in the forms of [[gas]]es, [[aerosol]]s, or solvents which are breathed in and absorbed through the lungs. While some inhalant drugs are used for [[List of medical inhalants|medical purposes]], as in the case of [[nitrous oxide]] (a dental anaesthetic), this article focuses on the non-medical use of inhalants, as [[recreational drug]]s which are used for their intoxicating effect. Most inhalant drugs which are used non-medically are ingredients in household or industrial chemical products which are not intended to be concentrated and inhaled, including organic [[solvent]]s (found in cleaning products, fast-drying glues, and [[nail polish]] removers), fuels ([[gasoline]] (petrol) and [[kerosene]]) and propellant gases such as [[freon]] and compressed [[hydrofluorocarbon]]s which are used in aerosol cans such as hairspray and non-stick cooking spray. A small number of recreational inhalant drugs are pharmaceutical products which are used illicitly, such as anaesthetics ([[diethyl ether|ether]] and nitrous oxide) and volatile anti-[[angina]] drugs ([[poppers|alkyl nitrites]]). Inhalant users tend to be people who do not have access to other drugs or alcohol, such as children, teenagers, incarcerated or institutionalized people, and marginalized individuals. The most serious inhalant abuse occurs among children and teens who "...live on the streets completely without family ties."<ref>[http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective, 148<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Inhalant users inhale [[vapor]] or aerosol propellant gases using plastic bags held over the mouth or by breathing from a solvent-soaked rag or an open container. The effects of inhalants range from an alcohol-like intoxication and euphoria to [[hallucinations]], depending on the substance and the dosage. Some inhalant users are injured due to the harmful effects of the solvents or gases, or due to other chemicals used in the products that they are inhaling. As well, as with any recreational drug, users can be injured due to dangerous behavior while they are intoxicated, such as driving under the influence. In some cases, users have died from [[hypoxia (medical)|hypoxia]] (lack of oxygen), pneumonia, cardiac failure or arrest[http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/inhalants.htm], or aspiration of vomit. ==Type== Solvents and propellants used as inhalants are found in a range of inexpensive, legally-available household, office, industrial, and automotive products. A number of household and office products contain solvents that are used as inhalants, such as [[toluene]] and [[acetone]]. These products include [[correction fluid]]s such as [[Liquid Paper]], [[nail polish]] removers (acetone), and permanent markers ([[xylene]]). Propellant gases used as inhalants in household and office products include [[freon]] and compressed [[hydrofluorocarbon]]s, which are used in various household and office products that come in [[aerosol spray]]cans, such as [[air freshener]], computer keyboard cleaner spray ([[gas duster]]s, sometimes erroneously called "canned air"), non-stick cooking spray, and aerosol hairspray. Another household product which contains propellant gases that are used as an inhalant is aerosol whipped cream cans, which contain [[nitrous oxide]] gas. [[Image:Nitrous oxide - 10 x 8g.jpg|thumb|200px|A small 8g canister of nitrous oxide intended for use as a whipped cream aerating agent. Recreational drug users fill balloons with the gas, which is commonly known as "laughing gas", and inhale it for its euphoric effects.]] Industrial and automotive products also contain solvents and propellant gases that are used as inhalants. Solvents such as [[toluene]] are found in [[turpentine]], [[gasoline]], [[paint]], [[spraypaint]], and a range of quick-drying [[adhesive]]s and cements (e.g., [[rubber cement]] and plastic cement). The solvent [[diethyl ether]] is used in an aerosol product called "automotive starting fluid", which mixes 20-60% diethyl ether with petroleum distillates such as hexane and heptane. Canisters of [[butane]] are used as camping fuel for small campstoves. Nitrite drugs such as [[amyl nitrite]] are volatile liquids which are inhaled. While they are used medically to treat [[ischaemic heart disease|heart disease]]s such as [[Angina pectoris|angina]] and to treat [[cyanide]] poisoning,<ref>{{cite journal| title = The Effects of Nitroglycerin and Amyl Nitrite on Arteriolar and Venous Tone in the Human Forearm| author = Cheng, L.; Goodwin, C. A.; Schully, M. F.; Kakkar, V. V.; Claeson, G.| journal = [[Circulation]]| year = 1965| volume = 3| issue = 2| pages = 755}}</ref> several nitrite drugs (nicknamed "[[poppers]]") are also used as an inhalant drug in the [[gay]] subculture and in the [[rave]] dance scene, due to their euphoric effect. While nitrite drugs are regulated by a variety of federal, state, and local regulations and legal restrictions, several nitrite products can be found in legally-available products. Amyl nitrite is available as an over-the-counter drug in some areas; [[butyl nitrite]] is sold as a room deodorizer under trade names as "RUSH" and "Locker Room"; and [[alkyl nitrite]] is an ingredient in video head cleaner or some brands of nail polish remover. ==Administration and effects== Inhalant users inhale vapors or aerosol propellant gases using plastic bags held over the mouth or by breathing from an open container of solvents, such as gasoline or paint thinner. Nitrous oxide gases from whipped cream aerosol cans and aerosol hairspray or non-stick frying spray is sprayed into plastic bags. When inhaling non-stick cooking spray or other aerosol products, some users may filter the aerosolized particles out with a rag. Some gases such as propane and butane gases are inhaled directly from the canister. Once these solvents or gases are inhaled, the extensive capillary surface of the [[lung]]s rapidly absorb the solvent or gas, and blood levels peak rapidly. The intoxication effects occur so quickly that the effects of inhalation can resemble the intensity of effects produced by intravenous injection of other psychoactive drugs.<ref>{{cite web | last = Joseph | first = Donald E. | authorlink = | coauthors =parker spence | title = Inhalants | work = Drugs of Abuse | publisher = United States Drug Enforcement Administration |date= 2005 | url = http://www.dea.gov/pubs/abuse/9-inhal.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-27 }} </ref> The effects of solvent intoxication can vary widely depending on the dose and what type of solvent or gas is inhaled. A person who has inhaled a small amount of rubber cement or paint thinner vapour may be impaired in a manner resembling alcohol inebriation - stimulation, a sense of euphoria and intoxication, followed by a period of depression. A person who has inhaled a larger quantity of solvents or gases, or a stronger chemical, may experience stronger effects such as distortion in perceptions of time and space, [[hallucinations]], and emotional disturbances. In the short term, many users experience headache, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, loss of [[motor coordination]], and wheezing. A characteristic "glue sniffer's rash" around the nose and mouth is sometimes seen after prolonged use. An odor of paint or solvents on clothes, skin, and breath is sometimes a sign of inhalant abuse, and paint or solvent residues can sometimes emerge in sweat.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Public Health Bush Book | publisher = Northern Territory Government, Department of Health and Community Services |date= 2002 | url = http://www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume2/chap1/petrol.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-27}}</ref> [[Image:canned-air.jpg|thumb|right|While commonly nicknamed "Canned Air" computer cleaning dusters are dangerous to inhale, because they do not contain compressed air. Instead, they contain a variety of inert gases that expand and cool rapidly upon being sprayed.]] ===Mechanisms of action=== Inhalants are a large class of drugs and therefore exhibit a variety of mechanisms of action. The mechanisms of action of many non-medical inhalants has not been well elucidated. Anesthetic gases used for surgery, such as nitrous oxide or [[enflurane]], are believed to induce anesthesia primarily by acting as [[NMDA antagonist]]s, open channel blockers which bind to the inside of the calcium channels on the outer surface of the [[neuron]], and provide high levels of NMDA receptor blockade for a short period of time. This makes inhaled anesthetic gases different to other NMDA antagonists such as [[ketamine]], which bind to a regulatory site on the NMDA-sensitive calcium transporter complex and provide slightly lower levels of NMDA blockade, but for a longer and much more predictable duration. This makes a deeper level of anesthesia achievable more easily using anaesthetic gases, but can also make them more dangerous than other drugs used for this purpose. [[alcoholic beverage|Alcohol]] is known to act as a [[GABA agonist]], and it is likely that other solvents also act here to produce additional depressant effects. The solvent [[diethyl ether]], for instance, has seen historical episodes of both inhalation and drinking, and produces effects suggestive of both NMDA and GABA mediated activity. The particular mix of NMDA antagonist vs GABA agonist properties will vary between solvents depending on molecular size or shape, and so the effects of particular solvents will differ, although all tend to share a similar profile ==Dangers and health problems== Some inhalant users are injured due to the harmful effects of other chemicals used in the industrial solvents or fuels that they are inhaling (e.g., [[tetraethyl lead]] used in some fuels [http://www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/ethylwar/][http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/leadtet/leadh.htm]). As well, as with any recreational drug, users can be injured due to dangerous behavior while they are intoxicated. In some cases, inhalant users can be injured or killed due to the effects of inhaling solvents or gases, which can cause [[hypoxia (medical)|hypoxia]] (lack of oxygen), pneumonia, cardiac failure or arrest[http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/inhalants.htm], or aspiration of vomit. The inhaling of some solvents can cause hearing loss, limb spasms, and damage to the central nervous system and brain.[http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/inhalants.htm] Serious but potentially reversible effects include liver and kidney damage and blood oxygen depletion. Death from inhalants is generally caused by a very high concentration of fumes. Deliberately inhaling solvents from an attached paper or plastic bag or in a closed area greatly increases the chances of suffocation. Brain damage is typically seen with chronic long term use as opposed to short term exposure.<ref>[http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/TOPIC173.HTM eMedicine - Inhalants : Article by Timothy Kaufman<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Of more concern from a toxicological perspective, or from the point of view of an individual considering the recreational use of solvents, is the additional toxicity resulting from either the physical properties of the compound itself, or additional ingredients present in a product. Many solvents of abuse are fairly toxic compounds which often produce liver and brain damage after prolonged use. This is particularly detrimental with chlorinated compounds such as [[carbon tetrachloride]] or [[chloroform]], or when products containing mixtures of many substances such as solvent-based glue or paint is inhaled. Toxicity may also result from the pharmacological properties of the drug; excess NMDA antagonism can completely block calcium influx into neurons and provoke cell death through [[apoptosis]], although this is more likely to be a long term result of chronic solvent abuse than a consequence of short term use. Precise statistics on deaths caused by inhalant abuse are difficult to determine, as it is considered a dramatically under-reported cause of death due to the common result of a cause-of-death determination being attributed to the side-effects of inhalant abuse, such as a blood vessel rupture in the brain or a heart attack, rather than to the abuse itself.[http://www.inhalants.org/VPT.htm] Inhalant use or abuse was mentioned on 144 death certificates in [[Texas]] during the period 1988-1998 and was reported in 39 deaths in Virginia between 1987 and 1996 from acute voluntary exposure to abused inhalants.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0978/is_4_27/ai_80771915] ===Solvents=== Use of some inhalants can cause brain, nerve, liver and other damage to the body. In the short term, death from solvent abuse occurs most commonly from [[drowning|aspiration of vomit]] while unconscious, or from a combination of [[respiratory depression]] and [[hypoxia (medical)|hypoxia]], the second cause being especially a risk with heavier than air vapors such as [[butane]] or [[gasoline]] vapor. Deaths typically occur from complications related to excessive sedation and vomiting. Actual overdose from the drug does occur, however, and indeed inhaled solvent abuse is statistically more likely to result in life-threatening respiratory depression than [[intravenous]] use of opiates such as [[heroin]]. Most deaths from solvent abuse could be prevented if individuals were resuscitated quickly when they stopped breathing and their airway cleared if they vomited. However, most inhalant abuse takes place when people inhale solvents by themselves or in groups of people who are intoxicated. Certain solvents are more hazardous than others, such as gasoline. Hypoxia can occur when inhalant users are huffing from a plastic bag over their face, which means that they are not breathing enough fresh air. However, some inhalants are heavier-than-air gases or vapors, and, if regular breathing is not maintained, they will remain in the lungs instead of being naturally expelled. Also, since many solvents are highly flammable (e.g., gasoline, paint thinner), some users have suffered burn injuries and deaths due to fires. Female inhalant users who are pregnant may have adverse effects on the fetus and the baby may be smaller when it is born, and may need additional health care. There is some evidence of birth defects and disabilities in babies born to women who sniffed solvents such as gasoline. Driving while using solvents presents the same dangers as other types of impaired driving, because many solvents cause an alcohol-type intoxication. ===Other inhalants=== Inhaling [[butane]] gas can cause drowsiness, [[narcosis]], [[asphyxia]], cardiac arrhythmia and frostbite. Butane is the most commonly misused volatile solvent in the UK, and caused 52% of solvent related deaths in 2000. By spraying butane directly into the throat, the jet of fluid can cool rapidly to –20 °C by expansion, causing prolonged [[laryngospasm]]. Some inhalants can also indirectly cause sudden death by [[cardiac arrest]], in a syndrome known as Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome. The anesthetic gases present in the inhalants appear to sensitize the user to adrenaline. In this state a sudden surge of adrenaline (e.g., from a frightening hallucination or run in with the law), can cause a fatal [[cardiac arrhythmia]].<ref>{{cite web | first = Indian and Inuit Health Committee | authorlink = http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/II/ii97-01.htm#Indian | title = Inhalant abuse | publisher = Canadian Paediatric Society |date= January 2005 | url = http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/II/ii97-01.htm#Morbidity | accessdate = 2006-12-27 }}</ref> [[Nitrous oxide]] gas can cause death by [[asphyxiation]] if a user inhales directly from a large tank using a mask or tube. Normally with recreational use, users get oxygen because they continue to breathe after inhaling the nitrous oxide from a bag or balloon. In a medical or dental setting, nitrous oxide is normally administered in combination with oxygen. With recreational use, if a mask is attached directly to to the tank, then the user gets pure nitrous oxide with no way to take in any oxygen. The rapidly-expanding gas causes very cold temperatures which can freeze the lips and throat if the gas is inhaled directly from a tank or "[[Whipped-cream charger|whippit]]" aerosol container. Releasing the gas into a balloon first allows the gas to expand and warm before it is inhaled. Use of nitrous oxide does not damage the brain or liver, but it can cause vitamin B<sub>12</sub> depletion. ==Socioeconomic factors== Inhalant drugs are often used by children, teenagers, incarcerated or institutionalized people, and impoverished people, because these solvents and gases are ingredients in hundreds of legally-available, inexpensive products, such as [[deodorants|deodorant sprays]], [[hair spray]], and aerosol [[air fresheners]]. However, most users tend to be "...adolescents (between the ages of 13 and 17)"<ref>. For example, studies on inhalant use in New Zealand showed that "...most of the inhalant abusers are within the 14- to 18-year-old age group"; in the Philippines, the mean age of sniffers was 15; in Korea, a 1992 study showed "86 percent are male and are below the age of 20"; about 3/4 of Singapore inhalant users in a 1987 study were 19 or younger. See article at: http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf</ref> In some countries, chronic, heavy inhalant use is concentrated in marginalized, impoverished communities<ref>{{cite web | last = Williams | first = Jonas | title = Responding to petrol sniffing on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands: A case study | work = Social Justice Report 2003 | publisher = Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission |date= March 2004 | url = http://www.hreoc.gov.au/Social_Justice/sjreport03/data/chap4.html | accessdate = 2006-12-27 }}</ref><ref>Native children in Canada's isolated Northern Labrador community of [[Davis Inlet, Newfoundland and Labrador|Davis Inlet]] were the focus of national concern in 1993 when many were found to be sniffing gasoline. The federal Canadian and provincial [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] governments intervened on a number of occasions, sending many children away for treatment. Despite being moved to the new community of [[Natuashish, Newfoundland and Labrador|Natuashish]] in 2002, serious inhalant abuse problems have continued. Similar problems were also reported in [[Sheshatshiu, Newfoundland and Labrador|Sheshatshiu]] in 2000.</ref>. Young people who become chronic,heavy inhalant abusers are also more likely to be those who are isolated from their families and community. The article ''Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective'' notes that "[t]he most serious form of obsession with inhalant use probably occurs in countries other than the United States where young children live on the streets completely without family ties. These groups almost always use inhalants at very high levels (Leal et al. 1978). This isolation can make it harder to keep in touch with the sniffer and encourage him or her to stop sniffing."<ref>[http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective, 148<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The article also states that "...high [inhalant use] rates among [[barrio]] [[Hispanic]]s almost undoubtedly are related to the poverty, lack of opportunity, and social dysfunction that occur in barrios", and states that the "...same general tendency appears for Native-American youth", because "...Indian reservations are among the most disadvantaged environments in the United States; there are high rates of unemployment, little opportunity, and high rates of alcoholism and other health problems."<ref>[http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective, 148<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> There are a wide range of social problems associated with inhalant use such as feelings of [[distress]], [[anxiety]] and grief for the community; violence and damage to property, violent [[crime]], stresses on the [[juvenile justice system]], and stresses on youth agencies and support services. ==History== Solvents such as [[chloroform]] and [[diethyl ether]] and gases such as [[nitrous oxide]] were first used for medical purposes, such as providing [[anesthesia]]. These solvents' psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects at sub-anesthetic levels was also noted, which led to recreational use. Nitrous oxide particularly was popularised by the scientist [[Sir Humphry Davy]] who held nitrous oxide parties where users could enjoy the euphoric properties of the gas. Davy, noting the anesthetic effects, proposed that the gas could be used for operations, although this was not tried for another half century. Chloroform was used as an anaesthetic, but it fell into disuse due to its high toxicity and narrow dose margin. [[Nitrous oxide]] and diethyl ether were adopted by the medical mainstream and became the standard anesthetics in use for many years. Other gases such as [[cyclopropane]] were also used for anesthesia. Non-flammable gases such as [[halothane]] replaced flammable anaesthetics such as ether. Halothane is now rarely used in humans due to problems with liver damage and a rare condition called [[malignant hyperthermia]], but it is still widely used in veterinary medicine. Modern [[Volatile anaesthetic|anesthetics]] such as [[isoflurane]] and [[sevoflurane]] have been developed for medical use which lack both the flammability of ether and the toxicity of halothane, and research in the area is ongoing. [[Nitrous oxide]] is still widely used as a dental anaesthetic, to reduce patient anxiety during dental work and minor dental surgery. Other medical anesthetics and inhaled medicinal drugs include [[xenon]], [[enflurane]], [[isoflurane]], [[sevoflurane]], [[desflurane]], [[methoxyflurane]], [[salbutamol]], and [[fluticasone]]. ==Patterns of non-medical usage== ===Africa and Asia=== In some African countries, media have claimed that dung sniffing is practiced (see [[Jenkem]])<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/406067.stm BBC News | Africa | Children high on sewage<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.aegis.com/news/ap/1999/ap990703.html AEGiS-AP: African Children Orphaned by AIDS<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although these initial news stories led to additional speculation in the media, [[Erowid]], an online library of information about psychoactive plants and chemicals concluded that it is a hoax [http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.php?ID=3113]. Glue and gasoline sniffing is also a problem in parts of Africa, especially with street children. In [[India]] and [[South Asia]], three of the most widely abused inhalants are the [[Dendrite (adhesive)|Dendrite]] brand and other forms of contact adhesives and rubber cements manufactured in [[Kolkata]], [[toluene]]s in [[paint thinner]]s and [[Iodex]] - a muscle stress relieving balm. Another very common inhalant is Erase-X, a correction fluid which contains toluene. It has become very common for school and college students to use it because it is easily available in stationery shops in India. This fluid is also used by street and working children in Delhi.<ref> {{cite journal | last =Seth | first =Rajeev | coauthors =Kotwal, Atul; Ganguly, K K | title = Street and Working Children of Delhi,India, Misusing Toluene: An Ethnographic Exploration | journal = Substance Use & Misuse | volume = 40 | issue = 11 | pages = 1659 – 1679 | doi = 10.1080/10826080500222792 | year = 2005 }} </ref> ===Europe and North America=== In the UK, marginalized youth use a number of inhalants, such as solvents and propellants. As well, in the UK [[rave]] culture, inhalants such as nitrous oxide "whippets" and amyl nitrite [[poppers]] are used to enhance the effect of the electronic dance music. In Russia and Eastern Europe, gasoline sniffing became common on [[Russia]]n ships following attempts to limit the supply of [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] to ship crews in the 1980s. The documentary ''[[Children Underground]]'' depicts the huffing of a solvent called Aurolac by Romanian homeless children. In Canada, native children in the isolated Northern Labrador community of [[Davis Inlet, Newfoundland and Labrador|Davis Inlet]] were the focus of national concern in 1993 when many were found to be sniffing gasoline. The federal Canadian and provincial [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] governments intervened on a number of occasions, sending many children away for treatment. Despite being moved to the new community of [[Natuashish, Newfoundland and Labrador|Natuashish]] in 2002, serious inhalant abuse problems have continued. Similar problems were also reported in [[Sheshatshiu, Newfoundland and Labrador|Sheshatshiu]] in 2000. In Mexico, the inhaling of a mixture of gasoline and/or industrial solvents, known locally as "Activo" or "Chemo", has risen in popularity among the homeless and among the street children of [[Mexico City]] in recent years. The mixture is poured onto a handkerchief and inhaled while held in one's fist. In the US, [[Diethyl ether|Ether]] was used as a recreational drug during the 1930s [[Prohibition]] era, when alcohol was made illegal. Ether was either sniffed or drunk, and in some towns replaced alcohol entirely. However, the risk of death from excessive sedation or overdose is greater than that with alcohol, and ether drinking is associated with damage to the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.<ref>{{cite book | last = Brecher | first = Edward M. | title = The Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs | publisher = Consumer Reports Magazine. |date= 1972}}</ref> Use of glue, paint and gasoline became more common after the 1950s. Abuse of aerosol sprays became more common in the 1980s as older propellants such as [[Haloalkane|CFC]]s were phased out and replaced by more environmentally friendly compounds such as [[propane]] and [[butane]]. Most inhalant solvents and gases are not regulated under illegal drug laws such as the United States' [[Controlled Substances Act]]. However, many US states and Canadian cities have placed restrictions on the sale of some solvent-containing products to minors, particularly for products widely associated with "sniffing", such as model cement. The practice of [[Inhalation|inhaling]] such substances is sometimes colloquially referred to as huffing, sniffing (or "glue-sniffing"), dusting, or chroming. Australia has long faced a petrol (gasoline) sniffing problem, especially in isolated and impoverished communities. Although some sources argue that sniffing was introduced by [[US]] [[servicemen]] stationed in the nation's [[Top End]] during [[World War II]],<ref>{{cite journal | last = Wortley | first = R. P. | title = Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights (Regulated Substances) Amendment Bill | journal = Legislative Council (South Australia) | publisher = Hansard |date= [[August 29]], [[2006]] | url = http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/SAN/Attachments/Hansard/2006/LC/WH290806.LC.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-27 }}</ref> or through experimentation by 1940s-era Coburg Peninsula sawmill workers,<ref>{{cite journal | last = Brady | first = Maggie | title = Community Affairs Reference Committee Reference: Petrol sniffing in remote Aboriginal communities | pages = 11 | journal = Official Committee Hansard (Senate) | publisher = Hansard | date = [[April 27]], [[2006]] | url = http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S9271.pdf | accessdate = 2006-03-20 }}</ref> other sources claim that inhalant abuse (such as glue inhalation) emerged in Australia in the late 1960s.<ref>[http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective, 148<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Chronic, heavy gasoline sniffing appears mainly to occur among remote, impoverished [[indigenous Australians|indigenous]] communities, where the ready accessibility of gasoline has helped to make it a common substance for abuse. In Australia, gasoline sniffing now occurs widely throughout remote communities of the [[Northern Territory]], [[Western Australia]], northern parts of [[South Australia]] and [[Queensland]]. The number of people sniffing gasoline goes up and down over time as young people experiment or sniff occasionally. 'Boss' or chronic sniffers may move in and out of communities; they are often responsible for encouraging young people to take it up.<ref>{{cite web | last = Williams | first = Jonas | title = Responding to petrol sniffing on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands: A case study | work = Social Justice Report 2003 | publisher = Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission |date= March 2004 | url = http://www.hreoc.gov.au/Social_Justice/sjreport03/data/chap4.html | accessdate = 2006-12-27 }}</ref> A 1983 survey of 4,165 secondary students in New South Wales showed that solvents and aerosols ranked just after analgesics (e.g., codeine pills) and alcohol for drugs that were abused. This 1983 study did not find any common usage patterns or social class factors.<ref>[http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/148.pdf Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse: An International Perspective, 148<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The causes of death for inhalant users in Australia included pneumonia, cardiac failure/arrest, aspiration of vomit, and burns. In 1985, there were 14 communities in [[Central Australia]] reporting young people sniffing. In July 1997, it was estimated that there were around 200 young people sniffing gasoline across 10 communities in Central Australia. Approximately 40 were classified as 'chronic' sniffers. There have been reports of young Aboriginal people sniffing gasoline in the urban areas around [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] and [[Alice Springs]]. Substitution of gasoline by non-sniffable [[Opal (fuel)|Opal]] fuel (which is much less likely to cause a "high") has made a difference in some communities. ==Popular culture references== ===Music and musical culture=== Inhalant use, especially glue sniffing are widely associated with the late 1970s [[punk]] youth subculture in the UK and North America. Raymond Cochrane and Douglas Carroll claim that when glue sniffing became widespread in the late 1970s, it was "...adopted by punks because public [negative] perceptions of sniffing fitted in with their self-image" as rebels against societal values. <ref>''Psychology and Social Issues: A Tutorial Text'' By Raymond Cochrane, Douglas Carroll Published 1991 Routledge 227 pages ISBN:1850008361 </reF> While punks at first used inhalants "...experimentally and as a cheap high, adult disgust and hostility [to the practice] encouraged punks to used glue sniffing as a way of shocking society". As well, using inhalants was a way of expressing their anti-corporatist [[DIY]] (Do It Yourself) credo<ref>Psychology and Social Issues: A Tutorial Text By Raymond Cochrane, Douglas Carroll Published 1991 Routledge 227 pages ISBN:1850008361 </reF> ; by using inexpensive household products as inhalants, punks did not have to purchase industrially-manufactured liquor or beer. One history of the punk subculture argues that "substance abuse was often referred to in the music and did become synonymous with the genre, glue sniffing especially" because the youths' "...faith in the future had died and that the youth just didn’t care anymore", due to the "awareness of the threat of nuclear war and a pervasive sense of doom" <ref>http://209.85.215.104/search?q=cache:ZpSBkUwTcmEJ:www.caughtoffguard.co.uk/punk_culture.html+punk+glue+sniffing&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=27&gl=ca&lr=lang_en|lang_fr</ref>. In a BBC interview with a person who was a punk in the late 1970s, they said that "there was a real fear of imminent nuclear war - people were sniffing glue knowing that it could kill them, but they didn't care because they believed that very soon everybody would be dead anyway."<ref>http://209.85.215.104/search?q=cache:gBdo9I2R2Q4J:www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A791336+punk+glue+sniffing&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=66&gl=ca&lr=lang_en|lang_fr</ref> A number of 1970s [[punk rock]] and 1980s [[hardcore punk]] songs refer to inhalant use. [[The Ramones]], an influential early US punk band, referred to inhalant use in several of their songs. The song "[[Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue#Now I Want to Sniff Some Glue|Now I Want to Sniff Some Glue]]" describes [[adolescent]] [[boredom|ennui]] and the song "Carbona not Glue" states that "My brain is stuck from shooting glue". An influential punk [[fanzine]] about the subculture and music took its name ("[[Sniffin' Glue]]") from the Ramones song. The 1980s punk band [[Dead Milkmen]] wrote a song, "Life is Shit" from their album "[[Beelzebubba]]" about two friends hallucinating after sniffing glue. [[Pop punk]] band [[Sum 41]] wrote a song "[[Fat Lip]]", which refers to a character who does not "... make sense from all the gas you be huffing..." Inhalants are also referred to by bands from other genres, including several [[grunge]] bands--an early 1990s genre which was influenced by punk rock. The 1990s [[grunge]] band [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], which was influenced by punk music, penned a song "[[Dumb (song)|Dumb]]", in which [[Kurt Cobain]] sings "my heart is broke/But I have some glue/ help me inhale /And mend it with you". [[L7]], an all-female grunge band, penned a song entitled "Scrap" about a skinhead who inhales spray paint fumes until his mind "starts to gel". The [[Beck]] song "Fume" from his "[[Fresh Meat and Old Slabs]]" release is about inhaling [[nitrous oxide]]. Another Beck song, "Cold Ass Fashion," contains the line, "O.G. - Original Gluesniffer!" The band [[Primus (band)|Primus]]'s 1998 song "[[Lacquer Head]]" is about adolescents who use inhalants to get high. [[Hip hop]] performer [[Eminem]] wrote a song, "Bad Meets Evil" which refers to breathing "...ether in three lethal amounts" . "The Brian Jonestown Massacre" a retro-rock band from the 1990s has a song entitled "Hyperventilation" which is about sniffing model airplane cement. ===Films=== A number of films have depicted or referred to the use of solvent inhalants. In the 1980 comedy film ''[[Airplane!]]'', the character of McCroskey (played by [[Lloyd Bridges]]) refers to his inhalant use when he states that "I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue." In the 1996 film ''[[Citizen Ruth]]'', the character Ruth, a homeless drifter, is depicted inhaling [[patio sealant]] from a paper bag in an alleyway. In the movie ''[[Love Liza]]'', the main character, played by [[Philip Seymour Hoffman]], develops an addiction to inhaling gasoline vapor. [[Harmony Korine]]'s [[1997]] film ''[[Gummo]]'' depicts adolescent boys inhaling contact cement for a "high". Edet Belzberg's 2001 documentary [[Children Underground]] chronicles the lives of Romanian street children addicted to inhaling paint. Films have also depicted the use of gas-based or aerosol inhalants. In the [[David Lynch]] film ''[[Blue Velvet]]'', the bizarre and manipulative character played by [[Dennis Hopper]] uses a mask to inhale an unknown gas. In ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (film)| Little Shop of Horrors]]'', [[Steve Martin]]'s character dies from nitrous oxide inhalation. In ''[[The Cider House Rules (film)|The Cider House Rules]]'', [[Michael Caine]]'s character is addicted to inhaling ether vapours. In the film ''[[Thirteen (film)|thirteen]]'', the main character, a teen, uses a can of aerosol computer cleaner to get high. The 1999 independent film ''[[Boys Don't Cry (film)|Boys Don't Cry]]'' depicts two young, low-income rural women inhaling aerosol computer cleaner (Canned Air). In the movie ''[[Shooter (film)|Shooter]]'', [[Mark Wahlberg]] inhales nitrous oxide gas from a number of Whip-It! whipped cream canisters until he becomes unconscious. The film ''[[Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas]]'' describes how the two main characters inhale [[diethyl ether]] and [[Amyl Nitrite]]. ==See also== *[[Inhaler]] or puffer, a medical device used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs (often used in the treatment of asthma) *[[Mt Theo Program]], a successful petrol sniffing prevention program run by the indigenous Warlpiri community in Central [[Australia]]. *[[Opal (fuel)]], a variety of low-aromatic gasoline (petrol) developed to combat the rising use of gasoline as an inhalant in remote indigenous Australian communities. Opal is less likely to cause intoxication (a "high") for inhalant users. ==References== <references/> ==External links== * [http://www.inhalant.org/Inhalant abuse prevention website from the Alliance for Consumer Education ] * [http://inhalants.drugabuse.gov/ Inhalants.Drugabuse.gov] (National Institute on Drug Abuse) * [http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/inhalants/index.html Inhalants - Facts and Figures] (Office of National Drug Control Policy) * [http://www.drgreene.com/21_180.html What Parents Should Know About "Huffing"]- by Alan Greene, MD *[http://www.quihn.org.au/illicit_drug_use_information.htm Information and harm reduction strategies on inhalants and other psychoactive drugs] [[Category:Psychoactive drugs]] [[Category:Health risks]] [[Category:Substance-related disorders]] [[Category:Inhalants|*]] [[de:Schnüffelstoff]] [[es:Inhalante]] [[gl:Inhalantes]] [[he:שאיפת ממסים נדיפים]] [[ms:Inhalan]] [[pl:Wziewne środki odurzające]]