Inhalants: harm minimisation strategies

General safety tips

Understand your substance

• Each inhalant has different effects, risks, and durations. Know what you’re using—e.g., nitrous is a dissociative, while amyl nitrite is a vasodilator that lowers your blood pressure.
• Test a small amount of your inhalant to understand its strength. Wait at least 30 minutes before you consider having more.
• Inhalants are usually unregulated. The strength and contents can vary - even between products that look the same.

Dose and pace

• Start low and go slow: most inhalants work within seconds and wear off quickly, which can make it easy to overuse.
• Avoid continuous use or long sessions: repeated doses can reduce oxygen to your brain and increase the risk of blackouts, injury, or suffocation.
• Take breaks between doses and breathe fresh air to reduce oxygen deprivation.

Stay physically safe

• Sit or lie down before use: inhalants can cause sudden dizziness, poor coordination, or loss of motor control. Sitting or lying down can help prevent falls or injury if you faint or lose balance.
• Be aware of your surroundings: avoid using near sharp edges, furniture, stairs, or other hazards.
• Stay hydrated and nourished: drink water before, during, and after use, and try to eat something nutritious to support your body’s recovery.
• Never use near open flames: inhalants are highly flammable and volatile. Do not smoke, light candles, or use heat sources near open bottles or devices.

Set and setting

Your mindset (set) and environment (setting) can strongly influence how inhalants will affect you. Both can influence how intense the experience is—and how safe or risky it feels.

Set = your body and mind

This includes:

• your current mood and mental health
• stress or emotional load
• whether you feel safe, grounded, and supported
• your physical state (sleep, food, hydration, illness)
• how familiar you are with inhalants
• any prescribed medications or other substances you've taken.

Inhalants can rapidly shift perception and coordination. If you’re feeling anxious, disconnected, or low, they may heighten those feelings or increase confusion. A calm mindset and well-rested body reduce the risk of harm.

Setting = your surroundings

Think about:

• where you are: is it a familiar or unfamiliar space?
• ventilation, lighting, temperature, and noise
• who you're with and whether you trust them
• the time of day, if you're indoors or outdoors, whether it's public or private.

Always use in a space with plenty of fresh air. Avoid small enclosed areas like bathrooms or cars. Having trusted friends nearby helps ensure your safety, especially if you lose balance or consciousness.

Mixing and masking

Knowing what happens when you mix certain substances is important, to help minimise harm when you’re using inhalants. Mixing inhalants with other substances can mask the effects of each, leading to risky effects.

• Mixing: avoid mixing with other drugs. Using inhalants with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other depressants can be really dangerous. It can make it hard to breathe and can increase the risk of suffocation. Smoking is also dangerous, because many inhalants are highly flammable. Avoid smoking or using open flames when you’re using inhalants.
• Masking: mixing a depressant and a stimulant can ‘mask’ effects of each drug and make your body feel like it’s not under much strain. Different drugs can also wear off faster than others, so if this happens you might overamp or overdose.

Risky mixes with inhalants

• Inhalants and alcohol: this can affect your breathing, and it increases your risk of suffocating.
• Inhalants and depressants (benzos, opioids): this mix can increase your risk of overdose.
• Inhalants and stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines): a stimulant can mask the effect of an inhalant, and vice versa. This can lead you to have too much.
• Vasodilators (e.g. Viagra): when mixed with amyl (poppers), this can cause a sudden and dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Ways to use inhalants

Nitrous Oxide (nangs, laughing gas, bulbs, whippets):

• use balloons: always release nitrous oxide into a balloon before inhaling. This helps warm the gas and normalise pressure, reducing the risk of frostbite and lung damage.
• never inhale directly from the bulb or cream whipper: compressed nitrous is extremely cold and under high pressure - it can cause internal burns or ruptured lung tissue.
• sit or lie down when using: nitrous can impair coordination or cause sudden loss of motor control. Sitting or lying down when using can help prevent falls and injuries.
• take breaks and breathe fresh air between dose: this reduces the risk of oxygen deprivation or fainting.
• limit repeated use: long or high-frequency sessions increase the risk of nerve damage and unconsciousness.
• take vitamin B12 supplements: regular nitrous use can deplete B12 and cause numbness or long-term neurological issues.
• avoid using alone and don’t use in enclosed spaces: there’s a risk of passing out without oxygen.

Amyl Nitrite (poppers):

• inhale vapour only: never swallow the liquid, as swallowing can be fatal. If swallowed, call 000 immediately.
• avoid skin contact: amyl is corrosive and can cause chemical burns or rashes. If it touches your skin, wash the area immediately with water.
• store safely: amyl is light-sensitive, flammable, and volatile. Keep it in a cool, dark place away from open flames or heat sources.
• never use with Viagra, Cialis, or other erectile dysfunction medications: this combination can dangerously lower your blood pressure and cause unconsciousness or cardiac arrest.

Solvents and gases (glue, petrol, aerosol sprays, butane):

• avoid direct inhalation: do not inhale directly from the container or a plastic bag. This increases the risk of suffocation.
• use in safe spaces: ensure a safe environment free of dangerous objects to prevent injury in case of sudden loss of consciousness.
• only use in well-ventilated or outdoor spaces: avoid enclosed or poorly ventilated rooms
• solvents and gases are extremely flammable: don’t smoke or use near open flames, heaters, or stoves.
• have someone with you who can help: these substances can cause sudden unconsciousness, loss of coordination, or choking.

Inhalants overdose

Inhalant overdose can happen quickly and without warning - especially with repeated use in a short time or in poorly ventilated areas.
 

Signs of an inhalants overdose:

• confusion or disorientation
• slurred speech
• loss of coordination or consciousness
• seizures
• vomiting
• slow or irregular breathing
• blue lips or fingertips (signs of oxygen deprivation).

What to do if you’re with someone who has overdosed or overused:

• call emergency services (000) immediately: tell them clearly what substance was taken (if known), and what symptoms are showing.
• stay with the person: keep them calm, monitor their breathing, and don’t leave them alone.
• put them in the recovery position: if the person is unconscious but breathing, put them in the recovery position. This helps keep their airway open, and can prevent choking.
• do not give them anything to eat or drink, and do not try to “wake them up” with stimulants or other substances.
• avoid re-dosing or stimulation: let the body recover without adding more strain.

Inhalants withdrawal

Not everyone experiences withdrawal from inhalants. However, if you've been using frequently or heavily, especially with solvents or gases, you may notice some short-term symptoms when you stop.
 

Possible symptoms of withdrawal:

• irritability or mood swings
• anxiety or restlessness
• tiredness or headaches
• cravings
• trouble sleeping.

Managing withdrawal safely:

• take a break in a safe, calm space: let your body recover
• stay hydrated and eat nourishing food
• rest: good sleep and downtime can help your body and mind adjust
• reach out for support if you’re finding it difficult - talking to someone you trust or a counsellor can help.