History of the Drug 

Inhalants have always been a very damaging drug to the brain. It was used in religious ceremonies back in ancient times in places such as Egypt, Babylonia, India and China. The people consuming them had no idea of the harm it caused to their body. The legacy this places have left are one of the main reasons for their consumption.

 

According the researchers, inhaling vapors was first practiced by priestesses at the Orcale of Delphi in Greece to alter someone´s state of consiousness.

 

Nitrous oxide, ether and chloroform were used as intoxicants in the early 1800s. Nitrous oxide was used as a cheap substitute for alcohol. Scientist Sir Humphry Davy used this substance and called it "laughing gas" in 1799. Because of this discovery, this "new" gas was used for operations and was consider a strong anesthetic, even though it caused great harm to the brain.

Nitrous oxide was still used in the 19th century for recreational purposes throughout Europe and the US.

When the US made alcohol illegal, many people used ether instead. Nobody was conscious of the harm it did to others . 

In the 1940s, other substances such as solvents, primarily gasoline became popular to inhale.

In the 1950s, there was a huge increase in the abuse of inhalants in the United States. Because teenagers started consuming it, more and more people became addicted to this drug.

The practice of solvent sniffing became very popular in the 1960s. Many products like paint and lacquer thinners, nail polish remover, shoe polish, light fluid and spray paint were very easy to buy which caused an increase in the amount of people addicted to inhalants.

In the beginning of the 21st century, people living in poverty started sniffing glue and gas forget the pain caused by hunger and cold.