Youth | Inhalants

Huffing - butane, deodorants, fly-spray, petrol ...

Substance of first use

These gases or sprays are called inhalants and they are often the first mind altering chemical some children try; basically because they are so available and free.

Some huff because they simply want to try it, while others huff because they can't get the alcohol or cannabis they might prefer ...

Why do some young people huff?

Because the chemicals in these vapors may make you feel tingly, numb or dizzy in the head and unsteady on your feet for a few minutes. Some people like this.

Unfortunately, you have to keep doing it, to get the effect, and inhalants do some harm every time, as they don't go away when you breathe out.

Are there any dangers?

Yes - because the fumes you breathe in contain more than one chemical. Some of these chemicals leave the body quickly, but others are absorbed in the brain and the nervous system and stay there for weeks.

Some of the effects change the brain immediately, others affect blood circulation.

Some inhalants, like butane gas, make the heart beat faster, which can be a serious problem for some. The heart can lose its rhythm and stop pumping.

Some inhalant users die this way, and it can happen the very first time you try it.

Or, it can happen the fifth time...

Inhalants can also cause death by suffocation, which happens when the fumes take the place of oxygen in the brain.

Damage from using inhalants often can slow or stop nerve cell activity in some parts of the brain and the nerves get to the stage where they can't transmit messages properly.

This can affect the parts of the brain that:

• solves problems and plans ahead - so you may not mature as you grow up;
• controls movement and coordination - so you move slowly or get clumsy;
• may cause memory loss - which makes it harder to learn new things.

What if I sniff while I'm pregnant?

This can affect the unborn baby and increase the risk of miscarriage because the toxins get into the baby's bloodstream.

Will I get health problems if I choose to keep on huffing?

Ongoing use damages the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys permanently.

Huffing when you are young can mean that you live your life as someone who is less than the person you were going to be. This is sad, not bad, is it what you want for yourself?