What they are
Many household and industrial products contain organic - carbon based - compounds which produce drug-like effects when their vapours are inhaled. Some are used in glues, paints, nail varnish removers, correcting fluids, petrol and dry cleaning fluids. Others are used as propellant gases in aerosols, butane cigarette lighter fuels and fire extinguishers. Using these to get high is sometimes called solvent abuse, volatile substance abuse (VSA) or glue sniffing.
Street names
Names include aero, butane, bute, glue and sniffers.
How they are taken
Can be directly inhaled through the mouth and/or nose or inhaled from inside a plastic or paper bag, from a rag or up a sleeve of a clothing item. Inhaling them is often called sniffing.
Extent of use
Many homes and workplaces use a range of solvents that can be sniffed. Use tends to be mostly among under-16s in poorer areas. It often goes in phases, coming and going quickly. Surveys have found between 7% and 10% of 11 to 16 year olds claiming to have used solvents at least once. Many of these young people try it a few times and then stop. Very few get into a habit of regular use. Recent years have seen a decline in overall solvent use and a trend away from glue use towards gas and aerosol use.
Effects of use
- Oxygen intake is lowered and breathing and heart rate slow.
- Co-ordination is lost and people feel disorientated. Occasionally people lose consciousness.
- People may feel dizzy, sick or drowsy.
- It is a bit like getting drunk very quickly.
- They may behave in a loud and aggressive way.
- Some users say they see or hear things that are not really there.
- Effects do not last long, usually less than 45 minutes without taking more.
- After using, people often feel tired and drowsy and may have a headache or hangover.
Risks of use
- In recent years between 60 and 150 young people have died each year in the UK using solvents. Some have been first-time users.
- Deaths have occurred in a number of ways, including from:
- squirting aerosols or lighter fluids straight down the throat and freezing the airways
- heart failure from using aerosols or cleaning fluids
- losing consciousness and choking on vomit
- inhaling solvents from inside a plastic bag and suffocating
- injury resulting from lack of co-ordination, especially when solvents have been used in unsafe places, such as river banks or near busy roads or train lines.
- Lack of co-ordination increases the risk of accidents.
- Very long-term, heavy use can damage the brain, kidneys and liver but this is very rare.
- Tolerance can develop so more is needed to get the same effect.
- A few young people become psychologically dependent and rely on solvents to deal with feeling unhappy. They often sniff alone rather than in a group.
- Long-term, regular use can lead to people feeling very tired and forgetful and not being able to concentrate.
The Law
It is not an offence for young people to be in possession of or to use solvents. There are laws concerning sale and supply of solvents to young people. It is an offence to supply a person aged under-18 with solvents if it is known that the young person will use the solvent for intoxicating purposes. Maximum penalties for retailers who do this are 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine of £5,000. it is also an offence for shopkeepers to sell butane gas lighter fuel to young people they know to be under-18 years old.
