Inhalants are organic solvents including nitro-aromatics, all volatile organic solvents including nail polish remover, paint diluters, whitener-solvent etc., gas aerosols, petrol and Kerosene. The vapours of the inhalants, when inhaled can cause a high intoxication. These are CNS depressants and slow down or affect the brain and CNS activity which affects physical, mental and the emotional responses.

These solvents and propellants are available everywhere, in the household, office, garden house etc. and moreover they are legal and also very cheap.

Acetone is available in nail polish remover; toluene and xylene are present in permanent markers.

Aerosol is present in every aerosol spray systems, such as air freshener, computer keyboard cleaner spray, aerosol hair spray and aerosol insecticides.

Toluene is present in many products such as turpentine, petrol, paint, spray paint and in many adhesives.

Cigarette lighter fluids and paint thinners

Butane gas is also used in households as inexpensive home welding kits.

Amyl nitrite, a nitrite drug which is used in the treatment of angina could also be inhaled and abused.

Alkyl nitrite is in video head cleaner or in some nail polish remover.

Butyl nitrite is sold as a room deodorizer could also be abused.

Think of the whitener used even by school children in India and the thinner is used to abuse. It could be avoided if the industry could supply closed whitener which also looks like a ball point pen without any thinner and only this is used by children in developed countries. Normal whitener is exclusively used only in the offices.

These are only a few to mention but almost all solvent vapours can be inhaled. In the industries hundred thousands of tons of organic solvents are used for the extraction and also as raw materials.

Last but not the least, petrol and kerosene are available everywhere, without any problem.

We must talk to our children and teenagers and explain them about the danger of these cheap and easily available inhalants. In your household keep these solvents somewhere under lock and key, but awareness is the best defence against these horrible things.

Abuse of inhalants is very dangerous for our health.