Transcript Chapter 16

Inhalants
Drugs and Our Society
Part 16
Types of Inhalants
1.
Breathable chemical vapors
- psychoactive effects / mind-altering
- vaporize at room temperature
a. Household / workplace products
- can be inhaled
- spray paints / gules / cleaning fluids
- do not think of as drugs
- never meant for intoxicating effect
b. Young children / adolescents easily obtain
Types, cont.
- most likely abuse extremely toxic
b. Effects: similar to alcohol
- CNS depressant
- more volatile than alcohol
2.
Three categories:
- 10,000 products abused
a. Volatile substances
- increased substantially
Types, cont.
(1) Adhesives
- model glue / rubber cement (polyvinylchloride)
(2) Aerosol sprays
- paint / hair / deodorant / asthma / analgesic
(a) Toluene: more dangerous chemical
- lipid-soluble / low molecular weight /
rapidly absorbed
(b) Brain: large capacity to store
- 10 times greater than blood levels
Types, cont.
(3) Solvents / Gases
- nail polish / paint remover / paint thinner
/ typing fluid / marking pens / gasoline
(a) Gas: vaporizes at room temperature
- toluene / benzene
- intoxication: 3 - 5 min. / 5 – 6 hrs.
(4) Cleaning agents
- dry clean fluid / spot remove / degreaser
Types, cont.
(5) Dessert topping sprays
- whipped cream / whippets
b. Anesthetics
(1) Gas / liquid / local
- ether / chloroform / halothane / nitrous
oxide
(2) Nitrous oxide: significant abuse concern
Types, cont.
c. Nitrites
- room deodorizers
- amyl nitrite / butyl nitrite
- called “poppers” / “rush” / “locker room” /
“bullets”
3.
Use of inhalants
- sniffed or huffed
- immediate head rush (high)
- from open container / paper bag / soaked rag
Use, cont.
a. Not a controlled substance
- states place restrictions
- 5 to 15% young people tried
- vast majority don’t become chronic abusers
b. Using just one time = put at risk
- sudden death (cardiac arrest)
- suffocation (bags)
- asphyxia: limit available oxygen
- visual hallucinations
- severe mood swings
Use, cont.
- numbness / tingling: hands / feet
- loss of muscle control
- slurred speech
- headache / muscle weakness
- abdominal pain
- decrease / loss: sense of smell
- nausea / nosebleeds
- violent behavior
- irregular heartbeat
- liver / lung / kidney impairment
- brain damage
Use, cont.
- involuntary passing: urine / feces
c. Entry into brain
- inhalation effects so fast
- resemble intensity of intravenous injection
of other psychoactive drugs
d. Inhalant intoxication
- resemble alcohol inebriation
- with stimulation / loss of inhibition
- followed by depression (high doses)
Use, cont.
4.
Extent of use
- often starts early
- young people: cheap / accessible substitute
- chronic / long-term: most difficult to treat
- multiple psychological / social problems
a. 8th / 10th / 12th grade use
- ever used: 21% / 18% / 16%
- past year: 12% / 9% / 7%
- past month: 6% / 3% / 2.5%
Current Patterns
1.
Current patterns and signs of abuse
- 4th most common form of abuse (high school)
- behind alcohol / tobacco / marijuana
a. Popular because:
- legally obtained
- readily available
- inexpensive
- easy to conceal
- intoxication / euphoria much more rapid
- withdrawal less severe than alcohol
Patterns, cont.
b. Adolescent / teenage use
- typically a problem
c. Usage decreases with age: (primary reason)
- view use with disdain
- unsophisticated / “kids” habit
2.
Early use
- early as preschool years
a. 2 to 6 year olds inhaling gasoline vapors
Patterns, cont.
- imitation of older siblings / neighbors
- 7 / 8 year olds familiar with psychological
effects of inhaling gasoline
b. 21st century shows decline in use among
high school students
- declined by 1.5%
3.
Gender / race / socioeconomics
- National Household Survey on Drug Abuse
Patterns, cont.
a. Male (11%) / female (5.4%)
- at least once in lifetime
b. Gender difference diminishing
- current survey: equal percentage (1%)
- age 12 to 17: used in past month
c. Caucasian more likely to use
- white: 9.3% / Hispanic: 5.5% / black: 3.5%
Patterns, cont.
4.
Profile of chronic abuser
- profile similar to other substance abusers
a. Unhappy surroundings
- severe family or school problems
- poor self-image
b. Gives accessible escape
- occurs in episodic outbreaks
- a particular school
- particular geographic region
Patterns, cont.
c. Isolated incidents
- reflect faddish nature
- continually fluctuating levels of abuse
d. Not unique to U.S.
- worldwide concern
- low price / easy access
- Asia / Africa / Latin America
5.
Signs of abuse
- uncoordinated / disoriented / drunk appearance
Patterns, cont.
a. Red, watery eyes
- nausea / slurred speech / headache /
nosebleed
b. Rashes (nose / mouth)
- unexplained paint: hands / mouth / nose
- smelling chemical ordor
- unusual containers (soda can / plastic bag
/ rags / handkerchief)
- aerosol whipped cream cans (not foam)
- air conditioners that do not work
Patterns, cont.
c. Frequent users have following:
- collect unusual assortment of chemicals
- glues / paints / thinners / solvents / nail
polish / liquid eraser / cleaning fluids
d. Occasionally: breath smells like solvents
- have “sniffles” without other cold symptoms
- appear drunk / recover quickly: 15 – 60 min
- doing poor In school / usually unkempt
e. Other signs:
Patterns, cont.
- sit with pen / marker near nose
- constantly smelling sleeves of shirt
- hiding rags / clothes / empty containers
- possessing chemical-soaked rags, bags, or
socks
- abusable household items missing
6.
Dangers of inhalant abuse
- besides danger to brain / lungs / liver / kidneys
- or suffocation / asphyxiation
Dangers, cont.
a. Severely injure themselves
- fall or accidents
- impaired driving
b. Use during pregnancy
- newborn at risk (developmentally)
- toluene: reduce brain development / reduce
birth weight / skeletal abnormalities
c. Some consider “gateway” drug
- cheap/obtainable: lead to alcohol/marijuana
Treatment of Abuse
7.
Treatment
- fewer times used / easier to stop
- less likely severe physiological damage
a. Do not cause dangerous physical dependence
- can lead to psychological addiction
- require professional counseling
b. Programs rare / difficult to find
- often resistant to treatment efforts
- high rates of failure / relapse
Treatment, cont.
- when compared to other forms of
substance abuse
c. Usually require longer-term treatment
- to produce satisfactory outcome