Editing Inhalant (section)

==General risks==
Many inhalants are volatile [[organic chemicals]] and can catch fire or explode, especially when combined with smoking. As with many other drugs, users may also injure themselves due to loss of coordination or impaired judgment, especially if they attempt to operate machinery.

===Hypoxia===
All commonly abused inhalants act as [[asphyxiant gas]]es, although a common myth is that their primary effects are only due to [[oxygen deprivation]]. In reality, the majority of abused inhalants still exhibit psychoactive effects,<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1176/appi.neuropsych.270101 | title=Occupational Exposure to Solvents: Neuropsychiatric and Imaging Features | journal=The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences | date=January 2015 | volume=27 | issue=1 | pages=1–6 | last1=Hurley | first1=Robin A. | last2=Taber | first2=Katherine H. | pmid=25716516 | doi-access=free }}</ref> although oxygen deprivation does add to the notable effects.

Regardless of which inhalant is used, inhaling vapors or gases can lead to injury or death. One major risk is [[Hypoxia (medical)|hypoxia]] (lack of oxygen), which can occur due to inhaling fumes from a plastic bag, or from using proper inhalation mask equipment (e.g., a medical mask for nitrous oxide) but not adding oxygen or room air.

===Frostbite===
Another danger is freezing the throat. When a gas that was stored under high pressure is released, it cools abruptly and can cause [[frostbite]] if it is inhaled directly from the container. This can occur, for example, with inhaling nitrous oxide. When nitrous oxide is used as an automotive [[Nitrous|power adder]], its cooling effect is used to make the fuel-air charge denser. In a person, this effect is potentially lethal.

The second cause being especially a risk with heavier-than-air vapors such as [[butane]] or gasoline vapor. Deaths typically occur from complications related to excessive sedation and vomiting. Actual overdose from the drug does occur, however, and inhaled solvent use is statistically more likely to result in life-threatening respiratory depression than [[intravenous]] use of opioids such as heroin.{{cn|date=May 2025}} Most deaths from solvent use could be prevented if individuals were resuscitated quickly when they stopped breathing and their airways cleared if they vomited. However, most inhalant use takes place when people inhale solvents by themselves or in groups of people who are intoxicated. Certain solvents are more hazardous than others, such as gasoline.

===Aerosol burn===
{{main|Aerosol burn}}

Use of [[butane]], [[propane]], [[nitrous oxide]] and other inhalants can create a risk of freezing [[burn]]s from contact with the extremely cold liquid. The risk of such contact is greatly increased by the impaired judgement and motor coordination brought on by inhalant intoxication.

===Risks of specific agents===
* [[Methylene chloride]], after being metabolized, can cause [[carbon monoxide poisoning]].<ref name="pmid7437838">{{cite journal |vauthors=Fagin J, Bradley J, Williams D |title=Carbon monoxide poisoning secondary to inhaling methylene chloride |journal=Br Med J |volume=281 |issue=6253 |page=1461 |date=November 1980 |pmid=7437838 |pmc=1714874 |doi=10.1136/bmj.281.6253.1461}}</ref>
* [[Carbon tetrachloride]] can cause significant damage to multiple systems, but its association with [[liver]] damage is so strong that it is used in animal models to induce liver injury.<ref name="pmid12466116">{{cite journal |vauthors=Yu C, Wang F, Jin C, Wu X, Chan WK, McKeehan WL |title=Increased carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury and fibrosis in FGFR4-deficient mice |journal=Am. J. Pathol. |volume=161 |issue=6 |pages=2003–10 |date=December 2002 |pmid=12466116 |pmc=1850898 |doi=10.1016/S0002-9440(10)64478-1}}</ref>
* [[Benzene]] use can cause [[bone marrow]] depression.<ref name="Wallace2008">{{cite book|first=Robert B.|last=Wallace|title=Wallace/Maxcy-Rosenau-Last public health & preventive medicine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ACWr8YcB2AC&pg=PA624|access-date=20 April 2010|year=2008|publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional|isbn=978-0-07-144198-8|pages=624–}}</ref> It is also a known [[carcinogen]].

===Excess NMDA antagonism===
Toxicity may also result from the pharmacological properties of the drug; excess [[NMDA]] antagonism can completely block calcium influx into neurons and provoke cell death through [[apoptosis]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=NMDA receptor antagonists and Alzheimer's|url=https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/nmda-receptor-antagonists|access-date=2021-02-17|website=WebMD|language=en}}</ref> although this is more likely to be a long-term result of chronic solvent use than a consequence of short-term use.