Drugs A to Z

Inhalants: Factsheet

inhalant warning image
Targeted Drugs:
Bronze

This resource has undergone expert review.

Year:
Year 9–10, Year 11–12
Time Allocated

Partial lesson (under 45mins)

Origin

Australian

Cost

Free

What are Inhalants?

Inhalants, also known as volatile substances or solvents, are substances that are sniffed or breathed in through the nose and/or mouth to give the person using the drug an immediate high.

There are four main types of inhalants:

  • Volatile solvents
  • Aerosol sprays
  • Gases
  • Nitrites

Personal stories

How many young people have used Inhalants?

According to the 2022-2023 Australian secondary schools' survey, approximately 1 in 14 (7%) Australian students (aged 12–17 years old) reported having used inhalants in the past month. 1 in 5 students (20%) reported having ever used inhalants.

What are the effects of Inhalants?

Most inhalants have an immediate effect. The high usually only lasts for a few minutes. Users sometimes keep on sniffing to prolong the high, in some cases this can lead to loss of consciousness, brain damage, and even death.

The effects of inhalants can be immediate or long-term, as listed in the table below.

Immediate Long-term
Increased heart rate Dependence (see glossary)
Feeling light headed and dizzy Brain damage
Loss of inhibitions Tremors
Agitation Problems breathing
Loss of coordination and balance Loss of hearing and vision
Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat Increased risk of leukaemia from petrol sniffing
Aggressive behaviour Damage to the immune system, bones, nerves, kidney, liver, heart, and lungs
Slurred speech  
Headaches  
Confusion and drowsiness  
Nausea and vomiting  
Hallucinations (e.g. seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there)  
Suffocation  
Seizures  
‘Sudden sniffing death’ syndrome (caused by heart failure that can occur within a few minutes)  

Evidence Base

This factsheet was developed following expert review by researchers at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, the National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, and the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University.

  • Credit to the Home Office for quotes adapted from Talk to Frank.

Sources

  1. Scully, M., Koh, I., Bain, E., Wakefield, M., & Durkin, S. (2023). ASSAD 2022–2023: Australian secondary school students’ use of alcohol and other substances. Cancer Council Victoria.
  2. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005. Research Report Series— Inhalant Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National
    Institutes of Health: Bethesda, MD.
  3. D’Abbs, P. and MacLean, S., 2008. Volatile substance misuse: a review of interventions. Monograph Series No. 65, Australian
    Government Department of Health and Ageing: Canberra.
  4. MacLean, S., 2008. Volatile bodies: stories of corporeal pleasure and damage in marginalised young people’s drug use.
    International Journal of Drug Policy. 19(5): p. 375-83.
  5. Cruz, S.L., 2011. The latest evidence in the neuroscience of solvent misuse: an article written for service providers. Substance
    Use and Misuse. 46 Suppl 1: p. 62-7.
  6. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2011. Inhalants, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New
    South Wales: Sydney.
  7. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2017. 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey report, AIHW: Canberra.
  8. White, V. and Williams, T. 2016. Australian secondary students’ use of tobacco, alcohol and over-the-counter and illicit
    substances in 2014, Australian Government Department of Health: Canberra.
  9. Garland, E.L. and Howard, M.O., 2010. Phenomenology of adolescent inhalant intoxication. Experimental and Clinical
    Psychopharmacology. 18(6): p. 498-509.
  10. MacLean, S., Cameron, J., Harney, A. and Lee, N.K., 2012. Psychosocial therapeutic interventions for volatile substance use: a
    systematic review. Addiction. 107(2): p. 278-88.
  11. Howard, M., Bowen, S., Garland, E., Perron, B. and Vaughn, M.G., 2011. Inhalant use and inhalant use disorders in the United
    States. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice. 6(1): p. 18-31.
  12. Dingwall, K.M. and Cairney, S., 2011. Recovery from Central Nervous System Changes Following Volatile Substance Misuse.
    Substance Use and Misuse. 46(s1): p. 73-83.
  13. American Psychiatric Association, 2000. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders, fourth edition, text
    revision, Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
  14. Dell, C.A., Gust, S.W. and MacLean, S., 2011. Global issues in volatile substance misuse. Substance Use and Misuse. 46: p. 1-7.
Print friendly version Subscribe to get updates Share this
I found this resource helpful 2 people like this resource

Something missing?

Looking for information that isn’t provided here?

Make a suggestion for this website

Need immediate support for
you or someone you know?

Get help and support now