Dangers of Common Household Products: Inhalants & Their Abuse

Inhalants are the volatile substances which produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled to produce a desired effect which may or may not be pharmacological in nature. Inhalants are quite commonly used in various common household products and as a preferred mode of administration of drugs for various respiratory disorders like asthma because of the ease of their use and non- invasive nature.

Alas, some pixilated minds found this inherently oversimplified approach quite appealing for abusing drugs to induce psychoactive or mind altering effects. Teenagers and young adults are increasingly turning to common, everyday-use household products in order to get that high without realizing their dangers.

Inhalants can be breathed in through mouth or nose by a number of ways, like:

Bagging: Sniffing or inhaling fumes that have been sprayed inside a paper or plastic bag.

Huffing: Absorbing fumes from an inhalant-soaked rag that's stuffed in the mouth.
Inhaling gas such as helium or nitrous oxide from a balloon.

Types of inhalants: Inhalants have been categorized into four categories based on the form in which they are often found in household and commercial products:

Volatile solvents are liquids that vaporize at room temperature. They are found in number of easily available products used for common household purposes, for instance, paint thinners and removers, dry cleaning fluids, gasoline, glues and correction fluids etc., to name a few.

Aerosols are sprays that contain propellants and solvents. For example, spray paints, deodorants, hair sprays, vegetable oil sprays for cooking and fabric protector sprays.
Gases include medical anesthetics as well as gases used in household or commercial products. These include laboratory chemicals like ether, chloroform and nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is frequently used in whipped cream dispensers etc.

Dangers of common household products:

Teens are indulging in inhalation of different products found in their garage, medicine cabinets, kitchens, offices, or basements. Some of these products include paint, paint thinners, cleaning products, nail polish removers, gasoline, deodorants, air fresheners, and cooking sprays. Upon inhalation, these solvents are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and may show unpredictable effects. They may generate a feeling of euphoria which may or may not be dopamine dependant. This feeling is sometimes compared to instantly becoming incredibly drunk.

Tips for parents: Let’s face it. This problem is real and your own kids may be involved in sniffing out things. However, by taking few simple precautions you can save your kids from this menace. These include, but are not limited to:

Read labels and instructions mentioned on a product carefully and keep it out of the reach of children.

Talk to children about the dangers associated with various household products and make them feel comfortable so that they can freely approach you with any questions they may have in future.

About the Author:
This Article is written by Tarun Gupta, the author of TestCountry Health & Drug FAQ. More information on the subject is at Dangers of Common Household Products: Inhalants & Their Abuse, and resources from other home health and wellness testing sources are used such as TestCountry Health Information & Resources.