Inhalants are not a commonly used substance on college campuses. Research by the Core Institute indicates that in 2005,only 0.5% of over 33,000 college students reported using inhalants at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey. This compares to 73% for alcohol and 17% for marijuana.

Yet given the ease of access to perfectly legal substances that can be inhaled, it is a behavior that can carry over from junior high or high school, where “huffing” is more common.

 The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) offers these health hazards for inhalant use:

Although they differ in makeup, nearly all abused inhalants produce short-term effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down the body’s functions. When inhaled in sufficient concentrations, inhalants can cause intoxication, usually lasting only a few minutes.

However, sometimes users extend this effect for several hours by breathing in inhalants repeatedly. Initially, users may feel slightly stimulated. Repeated inhalations make them feel less inhibited and less in control. If use continues, users can lose consciousness.

Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure and death within minutes of a session of repeated inhalations. This syndrome, known as “sudden sniffing death,” can result from a single session of inhalant use by an otherwise healthy young person. Sudden sniffing death is particularly associated with the abuse of butane, propane, and chemicals in aerosols. read full article…

Discussion Questions:
What have you seen, if anything, around Wesleyan in regards to inhalant use? 
What concerns you about it…or not?  

Tags: drugs, inhalants