Huffing/Inhalant Abuse

Inhalants can be breathed in via sniffing or snorting directly from containers; spraying aerosols into the nose or mouth; “bagging” (inhaling fumes from substances sprayed or deposited inside a plastic or paper bag); “huffing” from an inhalant-soaked rag stuffed in the mouth; and inhaling from balloons filled with nitrous oxide. Moreover, because an inhalant high lasts only a few minutes, abusers often repeat their use over the course of several hours. Subsequently, this can lead to loss of consciousness and even death, as a result of cardiac arrest or suffocation.

Symptoms of inhalant abuse resemble those of alcohol intoxication, beginning with a rapid high and a decrease in inhibitions. Furthermore, other inhalant abuse symptoms are drowsiness, dizziness, tingling in the hands and feet, slurred speech, numbness, lack of coordination, increased heart rate, and impaired judgment. In addition, over the long term, inhalant abuse can cause hearing loss, brain and nervous system damage, and liver and kidney disorders.

Sources: Monitoring the Future Survey, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration