What are volatile substances?
Volatile substances also known as inhalants or solvents, are substances that are sniffed or breathed in through the nose and/or mouth to give the person using the drug an immediate high.
There are four main types of inhalants:
- Volatile solvents
- Aerosol sprays
- Gases
- Nitrites
What are the effects of volatile substances?
Most volatile substances have an immediate effect. The high usually only lasts for a few minutes. Users sometimes keep on sniffing to prolong the high, in some cases this can lead to loss of consciousness, brain damage, and even death.
(Information from https://positivechoices.org.au/teachers/inhalants-factsheet)
For young people
Inhalants by headspace: https://headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/Resource-library/Young-people/In...
For retailers
Retailer Information Sheet by Amity Community Services:
Responsible sale of solvents by Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service (CAYLUS)
https://caylus.org.au/campaigns#responsible-sale-of-solvents
A Retailer's Response to Inhalants by Dovetail
https://www.dovetail.org.au/resources/a-retailers-response-to-inhalants/
For services
Understanding Inhalants by Dovetail
Caring for people who sniff petrol or other volatile substances: A Quick Reference Guide for Health Workers - Dovetail Queensland
https://www.dovetail.org.au/news/2020/february/caring-for-people-who-sni...
Youth Outreach Fact Sheet - Dovetail Queensland
https://www.dovetail.org.au/media/1015/youthoutreach_dt.pdf
Inhalants: what you need to know - Dovetail Queensland
https://positivechoices.org.au/documents/4svVYzSndN/inhalants-detailed-r...
Review of volatile substance use among Indigenous people - HealthInfonet
https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/healthinfonet/getContent.php?linkid=590...