Volatile solvents.
volatile solvents are a large and diverse group of
chemical compounds contained in hundreds of household and industrial products. A solvent is a chemical in a liquid or semi-solid
state that dissolves other substances (for example, nail polish remover). “Volatile”
refers to the rapid evaporation of chemicals when exposed to air. Volatile
solvents often abused by youth include paint thinner, glue, gasoline, paint,
correcting fluid and felt-tip markers.
Aerosol and spray cans often contain a liquefied-gas
propellant that acts as a solvent to dissolve the contents of the can so that
they can be sprayed. Propellants can also be abused.
Products that use propellants include hairspray, spray
paint, spray deodorants, cooking sprays and computer cleaner dusters (which
contain only a liquefied-gas propellant).
Volatile solvent abuse (VSA)
Volatile solvent abuse (VSA) is the deliberate
inhalation of fumes or vapours for their intoxicating and mind-altering
effects.
VSA is frequently referred to as inhalant abuse. This
can be confusing because the term inhalant can refer to a number of other toxic
substances that are not solvents (mainly anaesthetics and nitrates).Terms such
as inhalant abuse, solvent abuse and volatile substance misuse are used interchangeably
and vary by country.
Hazards of Chemicals Found in Commonly Abused volatile
solvents and it’s complications
Benzene(found in gasoline)
Bone marrow injury, impaired immunologic function,
increased risk of leukemia, reproductive system toxicity
Butane, propane(found in lighter fluid, hair and paint
sprays)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome via cardiac effects,
serious burn injuries (because of flammability)
Freon(used as a refrigerant and aerosol propellant)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome, respiratory
obstruction and death (from sudden cooling/cold injury to airways), liver
damage
Methylene chloride(found in paint thinners and
removers, degreasers)
Reduction of oxygen-carrying capacity of blood,
changes to the heart muscle and heartbeat
Toluene(found in gasoline, paint thinners and
removers, correction fluid)
Brain damage (loss of brain tissue mass, impaired
cognition, gait disturbance, loss of coordination, loss of equilibrium, limb
spasms, hearing and vision loss), liver and kidney damage
Trichloroethylene(found in spot removers, degreasers)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome, cirrhosis of the
liver, reproductive complications, hearing and vision damage.
How are volatile solvents abused?
Sniffing: Users inhale solvents directly from a
container through the nose and mouth. Less commonly they may heat the solvent
to increase the evaporation rate. This is particularly dangerous because most
solvents are highly flammable.
Huffing: Users soak material, such as a shirt sleeve
or a sock, in a solvent and place it over their nose and mouth or right into
their mouth to inhale the fumes.
Bagging: Users inhale a concentration of fumes from a
bag that is placed over the mouth and nose or over the head. Fumes can also be
inhaled in small, enclosed spaces such as a closet, bathroom or vehicle. There
have also been reports of users soaking a mattress or blanket in a solvent and
wrapping themselves in it.
Aerosol propellants are typically sprayed right into
the mouth or into a balloon or bag and then inhaled. In rare cases, users may
drink or inject solvents. Some products such as hairspray can contain alcohol
or other intoxicants.
What happens when volatile solvents are inhaled?
Volatile
solvents are quickly absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs and travel
to the brain and other organs. The effect is almost immediate and short-lived
(the acute effects last only a few minutes).
At first the user will feel excited, typically
experiencing euphoria, light-headedness, distorted vision and sense of space,
impulsiveness and lack of inhibition. VSA can also produce vivid
hallucinations.
Physical symptoms may include ataxia (the inability to
coordinate muscle movement), nausea and vomiting, dizziness and flushing.
Once the brief high passes, the chemicals in solvents
act much like a depressant as they slow down the body’s central nervous system.
The user will start to feel “down”, drowsy and physically ill.
Experienced
users inhale periodically (for example, every 30 minutes) to maintain a high
and avoid the unpleasant after effects.
Social and physical health effects of Volatile Solvent
Abuse?
The social
effects of VSA for youth are similar to those for other substances, including
poor academic performance, emotional challenges (for example, mood swings,
depression, low self-esteem), and problematic behavior, including delinquency
and crime.
The physical
effects of VSA depend on both the product and the individual. This includes the
type of product, the amount and how it is used, and on the health of individual
users, their expectations, and their use of other substances.
Some of the most hazardous immediate effects of VSA
include
Sudden heart failure: Known as “sudden sniffing
death”, this is one of the most common causes of death by solvents and occurs
when a rush of adrenaline from extra exertion while intoxicated (for example,
fright or running) causes the heart to skip out of rhythm and stop beating.
Suicide/risk-taking behavior: Impaired judgment and
feelings of invincibility can lead to aggression towards one self and others
and to dangerous behavior.
Asphyxiation/suffocation: Asphyxiation most frequently
occurs when a plastic bag is used to inhale solvents and blocks the passage of
air to the user’s nose and mouth.
Overdose: Mixing solvents with other drugs, especially
central nervous system depressants such as alcohol, sleeping pills and
tranquillizers, increases the possibility of overdose.
Frostbite and burns: The freezing properties of many
solvents can cause minor frostbite to the lips and tongue or even fatal
freezing of air passages. Burns also pose a risk because solvent fumes are
often flammable.
Immediate physical health effects of VSA abuse occur
during use even first-time
Use or instantly after the euphoric state has subsided
and intoxication has worn off. They generally pass within a few hours.
ü Abdominal
pains
ü Amnesia
ü Depression
ü Diarrhea
ü
Fatigue/sleepiness
ü
Headache/hangover
ü
Inattentiveness
ü Irritability
ü Lack
coordination
ü Loss of
appetite
ü
Nausea/vomiting
ü Rapid or
irregular heartbeat
Chronic health effects associated with increased use
of volatile solvent
Ø Bone marrow
and blood damage (someSolvents have been linked to leukemia)
Ø Central
nervous system/brain damage
Ø Chronic nose
bleeds
Ø Damage to the
heart and lungs
Ø Drying of the
mucus membrane
Ø Around the
nostrils and mouth,
Ø Causing the
user to sneeze, cough,
Ø Wheeze or
salivate
Ø Hearing loss
Ø Liver and
kidney damage
Ø Nerve cells
(affecting balance, for example) and muscle damage
Ø Short-term
memory loss
Ø Sleep
problems
Ø Spasms of the
arms and legs
Ø Throat and
ear infection
Ø Weight loss,
weakness and low energy
Effects of volatile solvents children born to mothers
who over use solvents
VSA has been associated with multiple drug use and
according to the “gateway” theory’ may lead to the use of other drugs such as
cocaine, and drug practices such as intravenous drug use.
Prenatal solvent exposure can also pose physical
health concerns and may affect the developing fetus.
Clinical studies of children born to mothers who abuse
solvents, particularly those such as gasoline that contain toluene, show
symptoms resembling fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This has been referred to as
fetal solvent syndrome however there is a need for further study.
Studies have
also associated reduced birth weight, withdrawal symptoms, delayed development,
behavioral abnormalities and central nervous system dysfunction, smaller head
size, facial defects and reduced muscle tone with prenatal exposure to
solvents.
Chronic abuse of volatile solvents, such as toluene or
naphthalene (the volatile ingredient in mothballs), damages the protective
sheath around certain nerve fibers in the brain and peripheral nervous system.
This extensive destruction of nerve fibers is clinically similar to that seen
with neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
What is being done to prevent VSA?
VSA prevention efforts are comparable to those
targeting youth alcohol and drug use in general. Specific efforts to prevent
VSA have mainly focused on community interventions and education aimed at youth
and retailers who sell products containing solvents. These include
Ø Wide
dissemination of information on VSA to healthcare workers, educators, media
representatives, retailers, the community, parents, youth and children.
Ø Peer programs
and recreational activities for children and youth.
Ø Modification
or elimination of problematic volatile solvent products or warning labels and
controlled sales.
Ø Early
intervention and education.
Ø Raising
awareness of VSA health hazards and related harm at an age appropriate level.
Ø Choosing
safer household products, such as non toxic cleaners. Parents and caregivers of
youth serving as healthy role models; having open communication with youth.
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