Household products solvent abuse

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. 

The abuse of a wide range of volatile chemicals (often called inhalants) that may be inhaled accidentally or intentionally is a worldwide problem, particularly in the adolescent population. There are more than 1000 ordinary relatively inexpensive household products that may be abused via inhalation. VOCs such as toluene, chloroform, butane, propane and acetone are present in many commercial products (solvents, contact adhesives, correction fluid,... 

Many household and commercial neurotoxic products are intentionally inhaled for recreational purposes. The volatile solvents contained in these products are rapidly absorbed and carried to the brain, producing a feeling of euphoria. The practice, also known as glue sniffing or huffing, is widespread among adolescents and has resulted in numerous permanent neurological injuries and deaths when excessive quantities of neurotoxic solvents have been absorbed. 109 110 Table 18.5 lists volatile chemicals that are frequently abused by intentional inhalation and the products that contain these compounds. 

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