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Volatile Substances

Volatile Substances

Street names

Aerosols, Chroming, Dusting, Gas, Gases, Glue sniffing, Glues, Huffing, Inhalants, Laughing gas, Nitrous oxide, Petrol, Solvents, Tooting

General info

Volatile substances cover a wide range of products, such as gases, glues and aerosols. The products that are abused all have a legitimate day to day use, which means they can be easily obtained.

When inhaled, volatile substances have a similar effect to Alcohol, making people feel uninhibited, euphoric and dizzy. But the effect they have on the heart can cause death, even if it’s the user’s first time. This is known as Sudden Sniffing Death.

Volatile substance abuse is often called VSA or VSM, Volatile Substance Misuse. There are between 50 and 100 deaths annually from the use of solvents and other volatile substances. These are virtually all from the short term risks and the very large majority of these fatalities are teenagers.

Some of the deaths result from sniffing the substance or from spraying the substance directly into the back of the mouth. This technique can cause choking and has led to a heart attack. In some cases young people have covered their head with a plastic bag containing glues or solvents and suffocated.

Effects

  • Volatile substances are depressants, so they slow down your body’s responses.
  • It can dull your senses, like Alcohol making a person feel as if they are drunk
  • Dizziness, dreaminess, fits of the giggles, and  it can be difficult to think straight
  • Vomiting and blackouts
  • Depending on the substance can result in a red rash around the mouth and damage to the lining of your nose and airways
  • Mood swings, aggressive behaviour and hallucinations
  • Afterwards people complain of a hangover, severe headaches, feelings of depression and tiredness.

Risks

  • As volatile substances are easily available as household products, some people think they are safe to use, but they’re not. Between 2000 and 2008, volatile substance abuse killed more 10-15 year olds than illegal drugs combined because they can kill the first time they are used
  • Affects judgment, there is a real danger of trying something dangerous
  • Squirting gas products down the throat is very dangerous as it makes the throat swell which can restrict or stop you breathing
  • Slows down your heart and can cause a heart attack
  • Some users have died from passing out and choking on their own vomit
  • The risk of suffocation if you inhale from a plastic bag over your head
  • Regular use will damage your brain, muscles, liver and kidneys
  • Accidents are much more likely if you are using solvents
  • Many volatile substances are flammable so there is a risk of burns and explosions, especially when combined with smoking
  • Mixing volatile substances with Alcohol can have serious consequences as the effects and the risk of death are increased. 

Class

Unclassified

It is illegal for retailers in England and Wales to sell volatile substances to anyone under the age of 18 whom they suspect may use them for sniffing / inhaling.