Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

348 Substance Abuse
Because numerous products contain organic
solvents, preventing inhalant abuse is challenging.
The very fact that these products are ordinary and
common perpetuates the mistaken belief that
inhaling them is harmless. Many parents are
unaware of the practice of sniffing or huffing such
products. Substance abuse experts urge parents to
read product labels to identify those products that
contain organic solvents to minimize the amount
of such products in the home. Indications a child
may be abusing substances containing organic solvents
include
• RASH around the NOSE and MOUTH
• wheezing and coughing (new and unrelated to
upper respiratory INFECTION)
• red, teary eyes
• unpredictable and erratic behavior
COMMONLY ABUSED ORGANIC SOLVENTS
acetone
benzene
methanol
methyl butyl ketone
methyl ethyl ketone
methylene chloride
toluene
trichloroethane
trichloroethylene
See also ALKYL NITRITES; ILLICIT DRUG USE; PANIC
DISORDER.
performance-enhancing substances Drugs, hormones,
herbs, and nutritional supplements an
individual takes to improve athletic capability or
that results in an unfair competitive advantage.
Performance-enhancing substances present health
risks because they alter the body’s functions or
structure.
Athletic organizations in the United States and
internationally prohibit the use of performanceenhancing
substances at all levels of participation
and competition, though the kinds of substances
banned varies with the sport and level of competition.
However, use and abuse of performanceenhancing
substances remains a particular
concern among younger athletes who compete at
levels where testing for banned substances is
infrequent or does not occur. PEER PRESSURE and
perceptions that such substances are necessary to
excel (win) may also be factors.
CAFFEINE is perhaps the most commonly used
performance-enhancing substance. Coffee, tea,
and cola drinks contain caffeine as do many
energy drinks, gels, and food bars. Energy products
also commonly contain GINSENG and other
herbs that act as STIMULANTS. Some contain ma
huang, a Chinese herb whose active ingredient is
ephedra, a stimulant that is no longer legal in the
United States. Other commonly available products
used for their stimulant actions to enhance performance
are decongestants such as pseudoephedrine.
Illicit performance-enhancing
substances include ANABOLIC STEROIDS AND STEROID
PRECURSORS, ERYTHROPOIETIN (EPO), human growth
hormone (hGH), and prescription stimulants.
See also BLOOD DOPING; DESIGNER DRUGS; HOR-
MONE; MUSCLE.
phencyclidine (PCP) A veterinary anesthetic
that causes varied and unpredictable effects when
used as a substance of abuse. A single use may
result in long-term psychiatric disorders such as
PARANOIA, PSYCHOSIS, mood disorders, and SCHIZO-
PHRENIA. Though the risks for DEPENDENCE and
ADDICTION are high with chronic use, the unpredictability
and unpleasantness of PCP’s effects tend
to limit its use. PCP is a schedule 2 drug in the
United States. However, no manufacturers currently
produce it so it is nearly always an illicit
drug. The most common method of use is to
sprinkle the powder on a cigarette or onto marijuana
and smoke it.
HEALTH RISKS OF PHENCYCLIDINE ABUSE
Short Term
amnesia
extreme anxiety
involuntary MUSCLE activity
slurred speech
Long Term
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
(GAD)
PARANOIA
SCHIZOPHRENIA
dissociation
HALLUCINATION
loss of physical coordination
violent behavior
mood disorders
movement disorders
PSYCHOSIS
See also ILLICIT DRUG USE; HALLUCINOGENS; KETA-
MINE; STIMULANTS; SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION; SUB-
STANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.