Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

<strong>Inhalant</strong> Use in the United States
Ruth W. Edwards and E.R. Oetting
DEFINING INHALANTS
Establishing base rates for inhalant use has proven to be a more difficult
task than it has been for most other drugs. Although attempts have been
made to clarify the definition <strong>of</strong> inhalants, there is no completely logical
answer to the problem that always will hold up over different populations
and across time.
Part <strong>of</strong> the problem lies in the nature <strong>of</strong> what we refer to as “inhalants.”
Most drugs can be identified by the psychoactive substance involved.
For instance, hashish, sinsemilla, and “hash oil” are all forms <strong>of</strong>
marijuana, and “grass,” “pot,” and “reefers” simply are different names
for marijuana; their use can be classified under the category <strong>of</strong> marijuana
use. <strong>Inhalant</strong>s, however, generally are defined by the route <strong>of</strong>
administration <strong>of</strong> a substance, either taking the drug directly to the lungs
through sniffing (through the nose) or by huffing (through the mouth).
Using this definition, inhalants can include a broad range <strong>of</strong> chemical
substances that may have widely varying pharmacological and
psychoactive effects. While this “route <strong>of</strong> administration” definition at
least is partially descriptive, it clearly is flawed. For example, cocaine
and heroin can be sniffed and, when burned, tobacco and crack can be
inhaled. These drugs, however, would not be classified as inhalants.
Another approach limiting the definition to volatile substances was used
in the July 1989 issue <strong>of</strong> Human Toxicology, which was devoted entirely
to use <strong>of</strong> inhalants. This definition presents difficulties, however, since it
limits inhalants to the vapors derived from materials that are solid or
liquid under ordinary conditions. For the most frequently inhaled
substances—glue, gasoline, and paint—this definition works well, and
nearly all inhalant users do use some <strong>of</strong> these materials. Other gases,
however, also are used by inhalant users. Spray-can propellants are
frequently used and, in recent years, sniffing <strong>of</strong> butane gas, which is
commonly available in cigarette lighters, has become more prevalent.
There does not appear to be a simple solution to the problem <strong>of</strong> defining
inhalants, but various conventions have emerged in the field and in the
literature. Substances that must be burned or heated, such as tobacco and
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