Inhalants for Getting High
One of the biggest drug problems suffered by teens and even pre-teens today is the inhalation of dangerous commercial chemicals for the purpose of intoxication. Kids normally aged 11 to 16 are increasingly finding ways to get high from items under the sink or in the garage, inhaling volatile fumes through the nose and trachea.  Some of the most serious abusers are children and teens living on the streets with no parental supervision. From the streets of Latin America to Asia you can see kids often sniffing glues or epoxies out of a plastic soda bottles.
What is Inhaled and How?
While street kids will inhale the cheapest options from open containers like glue, paint thinner, or other solvents inhalant users with access to a bit of money often buy aerosol propellant gases.  The nitrous oxide from hairspray, non-stick cooking spray, keyboard cleaner, whipped cream, and or gases such as butane are used to inflate a plastic bag. The user will then inhale the contents, blow back into the plastic bag, and then suck the remaining contents out of the bag.
The Rush & Aftermath
The gases inhaled fill the lungs and absorb into the blood stream so quickly via the capillaries that an intense high similar to that of intravenous drug use occurs. If glue or paint thinner is inhaled from an open container a level of impairment resembling drunkenness is common. However, if solvents or strong gases are inhaled a user can experience hallucinations, disconnect from reality, and strong inebriation. After the high goes away users will experience headache, nausea, and wheezing in the short term. The long-term adverse health effects are much grimmer with constant users increasing their risk of “sudden sniffing death” and the accumulation of huffing related ailments. Sudden sniffing death can be caused by inhalants responsible for inducing immediate cardiac arrest