How Do Inhalants Affect Your Body?

Inhalants damage the heart, kidneys, brain, liver, bone marrow and other organs.

• Inhalants starve the body of oxygen and force the heart to beat irregularly and rapidly. They can damage the protective covering around nerve fibers as well as brain cells.
• Users may experience nausea, nosebleeds and loss of hearing, vision or smell. Chronic use can lead to muscle wasting, reduced muscle tone and lung and immune system damage.
• Users risk Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome—where their heart stops beating. This can happen the first time or the hundredth time.

Updated: 2025