These are products which give off chemical vapours, and include many ordinary, everyday items. How are they taken? People sniff them or breathe them through the mouth or nose. The inhaled vapour reaches the brain via the blood stream. Who takes them? The answer to this is anyone. It mostly affects people between the ages of 10 and 30. There is no typical picture of someone who abuses solvents. They do not have to be a loner, or a bully, or unhappy at home. Many simply use them because they are not, in themselves, illegal, nor are they expensive. Young people do not realise the problems and dangers use of these substances bring. What do they do? Solvents come into the category of ´depressant drugs´. They slow your body down and make you feel relaxed. It is a bit like getting very drunk very quickly. Users often feel light-headed and dizzy. Some become dreamy and have visions, others feel sick and drowsy. The after-effects are a bit like a hangover. Dangerous Effects: There is no safe way of taking solvents. They are called VOLATILE and that is what they are - unpredictable. They can harm you without warning even if you have taken them before and have not come to harm, or if your friends have never suffered harm. Fatal Accidents Lots of young people die the first time they use them. In fact 42% of young people die the first time they use solvents. Nationally, solvent abuse kills more young people annually than heroin, ecstasy and cocaine put together. Other users die under the influence of volatile substances. Accidents can result from the fact that these substances are often flammable. Others can result from users simply not being in control of what they are doing. ´Sudden sniffing death´ can happen if a user is coming down from a high and joins in sport or other physical activity. If a person uses solvents regularly over a long period of time, the liver and kidneys can be permanently damaged. Also the part of the brain which controls movement can be permanently damaged. Dependence/Overdose/Withdrawal: Tolerance can develop if solvents are used regularly. Users need more to get the same ´buzz´. Obviously this makes it more dangerous. It is unusual for people to become physically dependent on solvents. Psychological dependency is a lot more of a problem. Knock on effects As we have said before, drugs don’t just get you physically, or even mentally and emotionally, they actually affect you life in all sorts of ways. Solvent abuse changes lots of other things. These are called consequences.