Because sudden death is so sudden, often the victims would still have the straw in their mouth and their eyes would be open.
What are inhalants? Inhalants are substances in which the vapors are intentionally inhaled to get a mental high. The effects may be short-term or long-term. The short term effects include: lightheadedness, lack of coordination, agitation and excitation followed by drowsiness. Long term effects may lead to brain damage, nerve damage and damage to the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys. Some inhalants such as gasoline and compressed air affect the rhythms of the heart which can lead to sudden death (shown above). When you think inhalants, do you think of one drug? Inhalants are actually a class of diverse substances that are grouped together because they are all inhaled by abusers. These products are normally legal household products that include: hairspray, rubber cement glue, furniture polish, air fresheners, spray paint, paint thinners, propane, gasoline, cleaning fluids, helium, marker tips, whipped cream propellants and many more. There are over 1400 known substances capable of being inhaled. Some slang terms are "huffing," "whip-its" "bagging," "glading," "gluey," and "poor mand pot." To inhale, one must spray the product into the air and smell from there, spray into a bag and inhale from the bag or spray directly into the mouth. The signs of huffing may be red, runny eyes or nose, chemical breath, sweating, slurred speech, drunken appearance and the product left around the nose or fingers. If a friend or loved one is huffing, the best option would be to take them to their doctor or a councelor who can guide them to the best support in their community depending on their case. There is always the Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868). Ways to help quit using this drug is keeping yourself away from situations where you are exposed to the drug, stay away from bad influences, talk to someone about it, know the bad that may come and most of all.. want to quit.
