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Inhalants and their health effects deserve more study, according to a new analysis. Leveraging federal health data, researchers found that among 33,771 U.S. adolescents aged 12–17 years, 2.2% of them reported using inhalants such as aerosol sprays and nitrous oxide in the past year, as published in Preventive Medicine. The inhalants are often used recreationally for their euphoria effects, leading to accidental poisonings and overdoses. With these new estimates of inhalant use, the authors conclude that use is low overall but clinically significant among adolescents, which should prompt targeted prevention efforts. Additionally, in a separately published systematic review of 30 YouTube and TikTok videos posted between January–March 2025 showing nitrous oxide use or thematic content, researchers found the social media videos racked up a great deal of viewer engagement, as published earlier this year in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Videos averaged 23 million views, 64,753 likes, and 9,500 shares, according to the study, and the content featured nitrous oxide use in a way that was socially acceptable or entertaining. What’s concerning is that the products used as inhalants, such as paint thinners or whipping cream chargers, are often easily accessible for adolescents.
Diagnostic challenge: Inhalant use can lead to negative health effects, and some patients may present to urgent care with symptoms of poisoning or overdose. What’s challenging is that not all patients will be forthcoming about their inhalant use, making diagnosis that much more difficult. Read about a case of a young adult diagnosed with B12 deficiency secondary to nitrous oxide use, recently published in JUCM: Peripheral Neuropathy Induced by Nitrous Oxide Misuse: A Case Report