May 21, 2025

Inhalants and young people

Young people sitting in urban setting

Inhalants are sometimes used by young people to get a quick ‘high’.

In this article, we talk about why young people choose to use inhalants, the risks involved, and how to support someone who might be using them.

What are inhalants?

Inhalants’ are common household, industrial and medical products which a person purposely inhales (breathes in) to feel intoxicated or ‘high’.1,2

There are many different types of inhalants, each with various effects on the body and mind. They include:

  • aerosols, including deodorant, hairspray or spray paints
  • volatile solvents, including paint removers, and cleaning products
  • nitrites, including amyl nitrite (poppers, jungle juice)
  • gases, including nitrous oxide (nangs, laughing gas).3

The most common type of inhalants used by Australians are amyl nitrite and other nitrites, and nitrous oxide.4

How do inhalants work?

When inhaled, fumes enter the bloodstream very quickly and the effects are almost instant.5

But the inhalant ‘high’ is short, so some people may keep using to maintain or extend this high.

Over time, people may find they need to inhale more to get the same effect because they can build up a tolerance.

What are the effects of inhalants?

Inhalants such as aerosols and volatile solvents have depressant effects. This means they slow down the messages travelling between the brain and the body. In small amounts, they can make you feel relaxed by slowing your breathing and lowering your blood pressure.

Nitrites (amyl) can have both stimulant and depressant effects, but they don’t belong to either drug class. They are vasodilators, meaning the vapours widen blood vessels, relax the muscles and lower blood pressure. When blood pressure drops suddenly, the body compensates by increasing the heart rate - sometimes described as a 'heart rush'.6

Nitrous oxide has dissociative effects. This means it causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment.

Inhalant use by young people

While people of all ages use inhalants, it’s more common among young people. Australians usually first try inhalants at around 21 years old.4

In a recent survey of high school students:

  • one in five (20%) students had tried using inhalants at least once
  • 7% used inhalants in the last month.7

Why do young people use inhalants?

Being curious is a normal part of growing up and often leads young people to experiment with alcohol and other drugs.

Like adults, young people use drugs for many reasons. They include to:

  • feel good
  • relax
  • cope with negative feelings/distress
  • overcome boredom and loneliness
  • deal with physical pain
  • enhance social experiences – such as partying
  • increase confidence
  • manage hunger.8

Because inhalants are readily available in retail stores, they’re easily accessible to young people and some may be more likely to experiment with these substances.

Young people, especially younger adolescents, tend to grow out of experimenting with inhalants.9 Regular use isn’t common – less than 2.5% of 12-17 year olds say they use inhalants 10 or more times in a year.10

But young people experiencing significant disadvantage, such as dealing with emotional trauma, financial struggles, family conflict, etc., may be more likely to become dependent or addicted to inhalant use.11

What are the risks of inhalants?

Inhalants are among the most harmful and dangerous substances due to their long-term health effects, and risk of sudden death when using.

Each type of inhalant contains unique chemicals, which carry various risks and different toxic effects.12

One thing all inhalants have in common is that they displace oxygen in your lungs, reducing oxygen supply to your body.12 Long-term reduction in oxygen levels from regular use can lead to organ dysfunction and damage.

People who regularly use inhalants may experience:

  • breathing problems e.g., cough, chest pain
  • blurred vision or vision loss
  • cognitive (e.g. memory, attention, decision making) issues
  • tremors and other movement problems (e.g. difficulty walking) that could lead to accidents/falls
  • damage to other parts of the body including the brain, bones, nerves, kidney, liver, heart and immune system.13-16

Overdose from inhalants

If you inhale a large amount or too frequently, you could overdose.

Call triple zero (000) and request an ambulance if someone is experiencing any of the following (emergency services are there to help and can provide instructions over the phone):

  • nausea, vomiting
  • irregular heartbeat
  • chest pain
  • hallucinations
  • seizures
  • unconsciousness or not responding.17

Sudden death

All inhalants carry the risk of death. Between 2000 and 2021 in Australia, about 28% of all deaths linked to inhalant use were young people aged 15 to 19.18

The two main causes are:

  • Sudden sniffing death – occurs when someone experiences cardiac arrest or heart failure after using inhalants. The chemicals in inhalants can cause a spike in adrenaline which the heart is sensitive to, resulting in cardiac arrest. The risk of sudden sniffing death increases if the person is stressed or does intense exercise after inhaling.5,12
  • Suffocation can occur when the gas inhaled takes the place of oxygen in the lungs, either from using in enclosed spaces (without fresh air), or from dangerous practices such as placing a plastic bag over the head. Suffocation can also occur if a person sprays some substances directly into the mouth as it can freeze the throat and airways.17,19

What should I do if I want to help someone who is using inhalants?

If you’re with someone or you come across someone who is using inhalants, it's important to approach the situation with care and caution.

Here are some steps you can take:

  • assess your safety and theirs (e.g. are they near a main road, or on a roof?)
  • stay calm and friendly
  • talk to them using simple and clear language
  • inhalants can catch fire, so open doors and windows to clear fumes
  • remove the substance, if possible, but don’t struggle or argue with them
  • there is no need to call the police unless there is a threat to safety.17,20,21

What should I do after they stop using?

When a person stops using inhalants, they’ll start to recover within about 10-15 minutes.

You should:

  • encourage them to rest
  • ask how they are. They might feel hungover as the effects wear off and could experience anxiety, headaches or sore throat. If the inhalant was relieving pain, the pain may return.
  • offer water and soft food – using inhalants reduces appetite so they may be hungry afterwards
  • encourage them to change clothes, as their clothes may be flammable
  • if they’re not responding or having problems breathing, call an ambulance immediately.5,20

Where can I find more information and support?

If you're worried about a young person's use of inhalants and the potential harm they might be experiencing, a good idea is to seek professional advice. Below are some links to support services and resources to help you.

Support services:

Resources to help you discuss AOD use with young people

  1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. Volatile Inhalants. Sydney. 2022. [2024 Oct 29]
  2. Brands B, Sproule B, Marshman J. Drugs and Drug Abuse.  3 ed Toronto: Addiction Research Foundation; 1998. [2024 Nov 6].
  3. Department of Health and Aged Care. Types of Drugs. Canberra, Australia 2021. [2024 Oct 29]
  4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023: Low-prevalence illicit drugs in the NDSHS. 2024. [2024 Nov 6]
  5. National Health and Medical Research Council. Caring for people who sniff petrol or other volatile substances: a Quick Reference Guide for Health Workers. Melbourne: National Health and Medical Research Council. 2011. [2024 Nov 6]
  6. Alkyl nitrites ("poppers") - updated harms assessment and consideration of exemption from the Psycohactive Substances Act (2016). 2024:51 [2025 Mar 31]
  7. Scully M KI, Bain E, Wakefield M, Durkin S. ASSAD 2022–2023: Australian secondary school students’ use of alcohol and other substances. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer: Cancer Council Victoria. 2023. [2024 Oct 29]
  8. Karam J, Sinclair G, Rackstraw L,. Dignity, Diversion, Home and Hope: A Review of Interventions for Volatile Substance Misuse in Regional North Queensland. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2014. [2024 Nov 6]
  9. Guerin NW, V. ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Trends in Substance Use Among Australian Secondary Students. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer: Cancer Council Victoria. 2020. [2024 Oct 29]
  10. Guerin N, White V. ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students’ Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer: Cancer Council Victoria. 2020. [2024 Oct 29]
  11. Lubman DI. Inhalant misuse in youth: time for a coordinated response. Medical Journal of Australia. 2006;185(6):327-30 [2024 Nov 6]
  12. Black E, Maclean S, Duncan J et al. Inhalants: what you need to know. UNSW Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. 2014. [2024 Nov 6]
  13. Drug and Alcohol Office. Inhalant Use: A Guide for Parents and Families. Government of Western Australia. 2014. [2024 Nov 6]
  14. Wu L-T, Howard MO. Psychiatric disorders in inhalant users: Results from The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2007;88(2):146-55 [2024 Nov 6]
  15. Maruff P, Burns CB, Tyler P, Currie BJ, Currie J. Neurological and cognitive abnormalities associated with chronic petrol sniffing. Brain. 1998;121(10):1903-17 [2024 Nov 6]
  16. Ford JB, Sutter ME, Owen KP, Albertson TE. Volatile Substance Misuse: An Updated Review of Toxicity and Treatment. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 2014;46(1):19-33 [2024 Nov 6]
  17. Government of Western Australia Mental Health Commission. About VSU - Acute intoxication. 2015. [2024 Nov 6]
  18. Darke S, Emma Z, Johan D, Amy P, Michael F, and Lappin J. Characteristics and circumstances of volatile solvent misuse-related death in Australia, 2000–2021. Clinical Toxicology. 2023;61(4):260-5 [2025 Apr 22]
  19. Government of Western Australia Mental Health Commission. About VSU - Harms. [2024 Nov 6]
  20. Government of Western Australia Mental Health Commission. Managing an intoxicated person. 2015. [2024 Oct 29]
  21. Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Training and Research Program. Problem Drug Use: Guidelines for Providing Mental Health First Aid to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Person. Melbourne: Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, University of Melbourne and beyondblue: the national depression initiative. 2010. [2024 Nov 6] Available from: https://www.mhfa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AMHFA_Drug-Guidelines.pdf.

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