Gases, Glues and Aerosols

Solvents cover a huge number of substances: gas lighter refills, aerosols containing hairspray, deodorants and air fresheners, tins or tubes of glue, some paints, thinners and correcting fluids, cleaning fluids, surgical spirit, dry-cleaning fluids and petroleum products. When inhaled, solvents have a similar effect to alcohol. They make people feel uninhibited, euphoric and dizzy.

Slang: Thinners, volatile substances.

The Risks

• People can experience vomiting and blackouts.
• There's a risk of fatal heart problems which have been known to kill users the very first time they sniff
• Squirting gas products down the throat is a particularly dangerous way of taking the drug. It can make your throat swell so you cant breathe and slows down your heart.
• You risk suffocation if you inhale from a plastic bag over your head.
• Sniffing can seriously affect your judgement and when you're high there's a really danger you'll try something reckless.
• Long-term abuse of solvents has been shown to damage the brain, liver and kidney.
• It can be hard to the amount right. Just enough will give the desired high - a little too much can result in coma.
• Solvent abuse killed 64 people in 2000. A quarter of these were people under 18.
• Using solvents in combination with alcohol can lead to an increased risk of death.

Call Now for Free, Expert Advice Call now on 0800 066 4173 for advice in complete confidentiality or use our online enquiry form. Alternatively if you are calling from a mobile phone or from overseas, call 01226 698 054.