What Products Can Be Abused?

There are more than 1,400 items that can be used as inhalants. It is not practical to identify every one in this booklet, but the list below should educate you enough that you can identify products that can be used as inhalants in your home, business or other locations you visit.

Office supplies

• Correction fluid
• Computer duster
• White board cleaner
• Permanent markers
• Dry erase markers
• Rubber cement
• Spray adhesive

Personal care products

• Hair spray
• Nail polish remover
• Spray deodorant
• Pain relief spray
• Asthma spray

Home maintenance products

• Spray paint (especially gold or silver)
• Fabric protection spray
• Paint thinner
• Toluene
• Contact cement (Superglue)
• Paint remover
• Solvent-based caulking
• Insecticide spray
• Shellac
• Freon (refrigerant)
• PVC cement
• Spray lubricant (WD 40)

Other household products

• Fuel gas
• Lighter fluid
• Fire extinguishers
• Gasoline
• Ammonia
• Carburetor cleaner
• Air fresheners
• Cigarette or candle lighters
• Mothballs
• Flat tire repair aerosol cans

Cleaning products

• Degreasers
• Air fresheners
• Spot removers
• Dry cleaning fluids
• Oven cleaner
• Furniture wax
• Dusting spray
• Shoe polish spray
• Disinfectants
• Leather cleaner
• Rust removers

Food products

• Whippets (nitrous oxide cartridges)
• Canned whipped cream
• Cooking oil spray

Hobby supplies

• Airplane glue
• Rubber cement
• Camping stove fuel

Other

• Nitrous oxide
• Ether
• Chloroform
• Propane
• Helium

There are other inhalants that can be purchased at nightclubs or convenience stores.

These include:

• Amyl nitrite capsules, also called “poppers” or “snappers”
• Butyl nitrite products known as “Rush,” “Climax,” or “Locker Room.”

These may be used as part of sexual activity, especially between homosexual men.

Paraphernalia used when abusing inhalants

• Plastic bags
• Bandanas
• Paper bags
• Rags
• Toilet paper tubes stuffed with tissues
• Empty soda cans
• Empty perfume bottles
• Balloons

If you walk through your home, you will probably find these products everywhere. It would be very difficult to lock them all up. Your best tool to fight inhalant abuse is thorough education very early, before your child can start abusing these substances.