Inhalants in Nebraska
Inhalants are a group of common and relatively inexpensive products available to children and adults. There are three types of inhalants:
Fluoro-hydrocarbons/Solvents- Found in all aerosol sprays and solvents, such as, gasoline, acetone, toluene, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, dichlorethylene, and trichloroethylene.
Nitrous Oxide- An extremely cold gas known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is commonly used in dentistry. This gas can also be found in whipped cream canisters. Since the gas is not designed to be used as a drug, there is no legislation in place.
Isobutyle Nitrite- This drug is actually a room odorizer or liquid incense. Approximately 520,000,000 bottles of this type if nitrite are sold each year and because of its affordability, it is popular among those on a limited budget.
Inhalants pass directly from the lungs to the brain so that the resulting “high” is immediate and can last anywhere from 1 to 15 minutes. The effects of an inhalant on an individual will vary in accordance with body size, weight, and the amount of chemicals inhaled.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2002 to 2004 report the following:
- An average of 598,000 youths ages 12 to 17 reported inhalant use at least one time in 12 months.
- 59.7 percent of 12-17 year olds had used cigarettes prior to using inhalants.
- 67.6 percent had previously used alcohol.
- 42.4 percent had previously used marijuana.
- 35.9 percent had used all three substances--cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana--before they used inhalants.
