How Long Does Air Duster Stay In Your System?
Unfortunately, there is a tendency to believe that air duster is safe to inhale. People tend to believe it contains things like nitrous oxide, which aren’t that harmful. In reality, the gasses contained in air duster are toxic. When someone inhales air duster, the gas then displaces oxygen in the lungs. It also removes carbon dioxide from the blood. That causes something called hypoxia, which is why people feel euphoric.

Inhaling air duster is extremely dangerous. It can be more dangerous and deadly than many illegal street drugs even. When someone inhales air duster, the desirable effects include the potential for euphoria, as well as relaxation, drowsiness and a general sense of intoxication. Air duster can also cause clouded thinking and judgment as well as hallucinations. Air duster has these effects because it stops oxygen from going to the brain.
One of the biggest risks of air duster is something called Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome. In this case, the heart beats quickly and erratically, which causes a heart attack. This can happen the first time someone uses air duster. Over time even if someone doesn’t die, they can suffer brain and central nervous system damage, organ damage and psychological problems. Over the long-term, air duster can also cause damage to bone marrow, hearing loss, behavioral and developmental problems, and addiction and dependence.
With air duster usage, the effects are usually felt almost instantaneously. An air duster high will last for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Detecting whether or not someone is using air duster or other inhalants is difficult. With most other drugs, their presence can be detected in blood, urine or hair tests. Most prescription and illegal drugs have very specific metabolites left behind as the body processes them. These can show up in drug tests for extended periods of time even after the parent drug leaves the system. Inhalant use is different. Inhalants don’t show up on a typical drug test. Instead, parents and medical professionals have to look at behavioral signs of use. In some cases, it is possible for medical professionals to see certain signs of inhalant use over time, such as elevated liver enzymes, however. In individuals who frequently take the drug, there may be chemicals that show up in urine, but again, it’s not as cut and dry as most drug tests.
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Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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