Articles
Inhalant use: Is your child at risk?
What are the risks of inhalant abuse?
What are the warning signs of inhalant abuse?
What's the best way to prevent inhalant abuse?
Content
What are inhalants?
What does it mean to huff an inhalant?
What are the risks of using inhalants?
What are the warning signs of inhalant use?
What's the best way to prevent inhalant use?
What if I find my child huffing?
What does it mean to huff an inhalant?
Huffing is sometimes used as a generic term for any type of inhalant use. But there are various ways to use inhalants, including:
- Huffing. To huff an inhalant, a rag is soaked in an inhalant and pressed to the mouth.
- Sniffing or snorting. Fumes are sniffed or snorted directly from an aerosol container or sprayed onto a heated surface and sniffed.
- Bagging. Fumes are sprayed or poured into a plastic or paper bag, which is placed over the mouth, nose or head. This method increases the risk of suffocating.
- Spraying. The aerosol is sprayed directly into the nose or mouth.
- Inhaling. Metal bulbs used to propel whipped cream from a can ("whippets") are pierced so that the nitrous oxide can escape into a balloon, from which it is inhaled.
Huffing causes a sense of euphoria that lasts about 15 to 45 minutes. The high can be prolonged by continued use. For many kids, inhalants provide a cheap and accessible alternative to alcohol or marijuana.
Most inhalant users report starting use before age 15.
