Chroming

What are inhalants?

Inhalants are a range of chemical products, usually regular household items, that are inhaled to produce a high feeling.  Most inhalants are either solvents, which are substances usually used to dissolve another substance, or gases.

The effects of inhalants

Inhalants are depressants, which means their effects are similar to those of alcohol or cannabis
Like any drug, the effects of using inhalants vary from person to person, depending on factors such as:

• your weight, size and health
• if you’ve eaten
• your mood when it’s taken
• if you’ve taken other drugs
• how much you’ve inhaled
• if you’re used to using the drug
• where you take the drug, eg at a party with others or alone

Immediate/short-term effects

The effects of inhalants come on almost immediately, faster than a lot of other drugs because it enters the bloodstream from the lungs instead of the stomach.

Immediate or short-term effects include:

• bad breath: from the strong smell of the product in the mouth
• flu-like symptoms: such as sneezing, coughing, glazed eyes or a runny nose
• drowsiness
• nosebleeds, bloodshot eyes and sores around the mouth and nose
• more relaxed: like alcohol, you feel more relaxed, laughing and feeling drunk
• disorientation/lack of coordination: particularly if larger quantities are inhaled
• extreme or dangerous behaviour: you’re more likely to do stupid or dangerous things after using inhalants, which can lead to accidents and injury either to yourself or others, unwanted sex, fights
• hangovers and headaches: after the immediate effects have passed, sometimes lasting for a day or more
• excitement: feelings ranging from mild excitement to euphoria, though there can also be agitation and uneasiness.

Long-term effects

Using inhalants regularly can lead to long-term effects, including:

• confused thinking: becoming forgetful and less able to think clearly or logically
• irritabilty: becoming moody, hostile or depressed
• tremors, weight loss, tiredness
• damage to the stomach, kidneys and liver
• brain damage: many of the substances used contain lead and other dangerous chemicals that can cause brain damage.

Tolerance + dependence

Tolerance and psychological dependence can develop with regular use of inhalants. Psychological dependence is when taking the drug becomes far more important than other activities in your life. You crave using and will find it very difficult to stop.

Suddenly stopping after regular use can cause withdrawal symptoms, that can include anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, irritation, aggressive behaviour, dizziness, tremors and nausea.

Driving or operating heavy machinery

Driving or operating heavy machinery while affected by inhalants is dangerous and unsafe. It affects your ability to judge speed and distance, which increases the chances of serious accident and injury.

It’s illegal to drive under the influence of any drug, including inhalants.

Inhalants + the law

Using inhalants is not illegal anywhere in Australia, but it’s illegal for shopkeepers to sell products to you if they believe that you’ll use it for inhaling. Police have the right to hold you if they think you are a danger to yourself or others. Many products carry a warning statement about the effects of inhaling them.

Getting help

If you’re worried about your use of inhalants, think it’s becoming a problem and/or want to talk to someone, check out the Getting help for drug use fact sheet. You can also get more information at the services listed in the 'Related links' on the left hand side and in the 'More information' section below.

More information 

To speak to someone on the phone in Australia you can call the following:

NSW Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) - (02) 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599 in rural and regional NSW.

Directline (Victorian Based)- or 1800 888 236

SA ADIS - (08) 8363 8618 or 1300 131 340

WA ADIS - (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024

QLD ADIS - (07) 3837 5989 or 1800 177 833

Tasmanian ADIS - (03) 9416 1818 or 1800 811 994

NT ADIS - 1800 629 683 or Alice Springs (08) 8951 7580 or Darwin (08) 8922 8399

NT Amity House - (08) 8944 6565 or 1800 684 372

ACT ADIS - (02) 6205 4545

Acknowledgements

This information for this fact sheet was drawn from the Australian Drug Foundation website and with the assistance of Dr John Howard from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW.