Aerosol abuse chemicals

Organic solvents inhaled by abusers include gasoline, glue, aerosols, amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, typewriter correction fluid, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids, paint products, nail polish remover, waxes, and varnishes. Chemicals in these products include nitrous oxide, toluene, benzene, methanol, methylene chloride, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl butyl ketone, trichloroethylene, and trichloroethane. 

A wide variety of chemical products that give off fumes are inhaled for their psychoactive effects. Many inhalants are chemicals that are found in household products, such as cleaning solvents and aerosols. Since the chemicals are cheap and easily available, this kind of drug abuse is popular with some kids as young as seven, many of whom are not aware that even one use can be deadly. 

Aerosols comprise compounds such as spray paints, hair sprays, pain-relieving sprays, deodorants, fabric-protector sprays, vegetable frying-pan lubricants, and hundreds of other everyday chemicals that are found in homes or are readily available commercially. Products that create an aerosol use propellants to keep tiny particles suspended in the air. For the most part these propellants, not the liquid product, are the chemicals abused. Virtually any aerosol product can be abused. 

Volatile solvent abuse or glue sniffing, is common among teenagers, especially males. The success of the modem chemical industry provides easy access to these substances as adhesives, dry cleaners, air fresheners, deodorants, aerosols and other products. Various techniques of administration are employed viscous products may be inhaled from a plastic bag, liquids from a handkerchief or plastic bottle. The immediate euphoriant and excitatory effects are replaced by confusion, hallucinations and delusions as the dose is increased. Chronic abusers, notably of toluene, develop peripheral neuropathy, cerebellar disease and dementia damage to the kidney, liver, heart and limgs also occurs with solvents. Over 50% of deaths from the practice follow cardiac arrhythmia, probably caused by sensitisation of the myocardium to catecholamines and by vagal inhibition... 

The major use of nitrous oxide is for anesthesia and analgesia. It is also used for cryosurgery. Nitrous oxide also finds use as an oxidizing gas for chemical (sodium azide) manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and as a fuel oxidant for racing vehicles. Some product for this latter application is supplied with an additive to deter abuse of the product. Nitrous oxide is also used as a propellant for pressure or aerosol products (whipped cream is most prevalent). 

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