"Inhalants" is a category of more than 1,000 various household and commercial products that can be intentionally abused by sniffing or "huffing" (inhaling through the mouth) to get "high." These products are legally available and serve useful purposes. Abused inhalants include volatile solvents such as gasoline, glue, paint, and polishes; anesthetics such as chloroform, ether, and nitrous oxide; nitrites; and aerosols. Inhalant use is reaching epidemic proportions and is affecting many of the youngest and most vulnerable segments of the population. Concern about the use of inhalants is due to their potential short-term and long-term effects, which include death; physiological, psychological, and mental impairment; and a "gateway" to other drug use. Chronic use appears in young and late adolescence, and experimental use typically begins in late childhood and early adolescence; use patterns are short-lived, with cessation in late adolescence. Experimental use is equally common in males and females, but chronic use is most common in males; morbidity and morality are more common among chronic male users. Since the supply of inhalant products cannot be halted, education and awareness must be the foundation for preventing inhalant abuse. Educators, health care workers, media, parents, retailers, and police officers must be made aware of the problem and work together in their own communities to increase awareness. Children must be made aware of the consequences of the use of these substances in honest and factual terms. This booklet includes facts on inhalants and their use and guidelines for prevention measures.