Within the LGBTQIA+ and club communities, “poppers” are well known for their association with nightlife, intimacy, and sensory enhancement. Although they are often perceived as harmless, these small bottles contain a class of inhalant drugs called alkyl nitrites, most commonly amyl nitrite.
While many use them without recognizing the underlying risks, the misuse of poppers can lead to serious health complications. Understanding what poppers are, how they work, and their potential dangers is essential to making informed choices. At Recovery Zone LA in Los Angeles, California, we believe in compassionate, inclusive support for those seeking help for addiction.
What Are Poppers?
Poppers are considered a recreational drug due to their use for pleasurable effects. Originally designed for medical use, poppers have transitioned into recreational contexts over the years. These products are often sold as ‘leather cleaners’ or other unrelated items to avoid regulation.
These substances are classified as inhalant drugs, specifically, liquid inhalants containing alkyl nitrites such as amyl, butyl, or isobutyl nitrite. Butyl nitrite, one of the alkyl nitrites, is historically used medically to treat angina, and is now primarily used recreationally. These compounds act as vasodilators, meaning that they relax and widen blood vessels.
Poppers are considered volatile substances due to their rapid evaporation and inhalation method. When inhaled, they cause a rapid increase in blood flow, which can create a short-term sensation of warmth, lightheadedness, and euphoria.
Their side effects are short-lived but potent, influencing blood flow, relaxation, and inhibition. In some regions, poppers are not approved for human consumption, but they are still widely used and available through various channels.
How Poppers Work as a Recreational Drug
The effects of poppers stem from their ability to relax smooth muscles and increase circulation throughout the body. Poppers work by relaxing blood vessels and muscles, leading to a rapid onset of effects. The vasodilator effects of poppers are responsible for the rapid onset of sensations such as warmth and euphoria. This process decreases blood pressure and causes a temporary “rush.”
Poppers relax muscles throughout the body, contributing to their physiological effects and making them objectively helpful from a medical point of view. In the 19th century, amyl nitrite was developed to treat angina, a condition caused by restricted blood flow to the heart, and was used to relieve chest pain by relaxing blood vessels. Amyl nitrite used to be part of emergency medical kits as a treatment for cyanide poisoning.
Recreationally, these same muscle-relaxing properties can create physical and psychological sensations that users find pleasurable. Muscle relaxation can help reduce pain or discomfort during intimacy. Poppers are sometimes inhaled to reduce tension or to enhance the euphoric feelings associated with music, dance, and social connection in clubs and parties.
The Use of Poppers in the LGBTQIA+ Community
Historically, poppers have had a long presence in the LGBTQIA+ community, especially among gay and bisexual men. They gained popularity in the 1970s disco era and have remained part of nightlife culture. Poppers are often referred to as a party drug due to their association with club scenes and social gatherings.
Poppers and Chemsex
Many individuals report using them to increase comfort during sex or as a way to heighten the party experience. “Chemsex” describes addiction tied directly to using substances during sex, and encompasses the physical health risks and potential psychological damage this condition can produce. Inhaled poppers are especially popular in sexual contexts due to their rapid muscle-relaxing effects, which can enhance intimacy and reduce discomfort during sexual activities. However, this association has also contributed to unique risks, as repeated use can normalize unsafe or excessive inhalant behavior.
The Addiction Potential of Poppers
Although poppers don’t typically cause physical dependence, they are not considered physically addictive. However, the question of “what are poppers?” typically includes describing them as a drug. While poppers are not physically addictive, they can still lead to psychological addiction or reliance. This describes when a person feels the need to use them regularly to achieve relaxation, pleasure, or confidence.
Someone who uses poppers during sexual encounters may find it hard to enjoy sex without them or find that they are unable to enjoy sex without poppers or other drugs. People who frequently attend parties or experience social anxiety may begin to associate poppers with feeling more comfortable or free. Over time, this pattern can become a psychological reliance that’s difficult to break without support.
Dangers of Using Poppers
Despite their accessibility and reputation as a “harmless” party drug, poppers actually carry several serious health risks. Their effects on blood pressure, respiration, and oxygen delivery can be dangerous, especially when combined with other substances or when someone with underlying medical conditions uses them. Inhaling poppers as part of recreational drug use can expose users to other health risks. The effects of poppers can impact multiple organ systems and may not be immediately noticeable.
Interaction With Medications
One of the most significant dangers of using poppers is their potential interactions with other medications. Because they lower blood pressure, combining them with certain drugs can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure that can quickly become dangerous. This sudden drop can result in dizziness, fainting, or even a heart attack.
Using poppers with other drugs, such as stimulant drugs or erectile dysfunction medications, further increases the risk of dangerous interactions and severe health consequences. Inhaling poppers may seem safer compared to smoking cannabis or injecting heroin into a person’s blood vessels. But using it alone or alongside other drugs results in an increased risk of adverse effects.
Poppers can also interact negatively with other vasodilators or prescription nitrates prescribed for heart conditions. Combining poppers with nitrate drugs can cause life-threatening drops in blood pressure. The body can’t handle multiple blood pressure-lowering effects at once, and prescription medication is more likely to be specifically attuned to the individual’s body.
Physical Changes and Organ Damage From Blood Pressure Changes
Long-term or frequent popper use can cause lasting harm to the body. Some of the known dangers include:
- Methemoglobinemia, a condition that reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, leading to dizziness, shortness of breath, or blue-tinted skin. This can result in oxygen deprivation to vital organs.
- Respiratory damage, as inhaling chemical vapors can irritate the airways. This can lead to coughing, wheezing, and reduced lung function.
- Vision problems, such as “poppers pucker,” a type of eye damage that can cause blurry vision, distorted vision, or blind spots.
- Skin irritation, as direct contact with poppers can cause rashes or burns due to the volatile chemicals.
The practice of using poppers to enhance sexual experience can also create dangers. Injuries from using poppers are not unusual, and this can be particularly dangerous to intimate organs.
Psychological and Behavioral Risks
Beyond physical dangers, the psychological and social contexts surrounding popper use can contribute to risky behavior. The sense of relaxation and lowered inhibitions may lead to unsafe sexual practices, substance mixing, overexertion, or danger around sexual consent. Users may underestimate their level of impairment, increasing the chances of injury or harm.
Signs of Psychological Addiction
Psychological addiction to poppers can develop gradually, often starting as casual, situational use. While someone may not crave poppers in the same way as other addictive substances, emotional and situational dependency can still occur.
Signs of psychological addiction include:
- Using poppers frequently at parties, during intimacy, or in any social setting.
- Feeling unable to relax, connect, or perform sexually without them.
- Craving the short-term “rush” or excitement associated with use.
- Continuing use despite health warnings or negative effects.
- Spending significant time or money obtaining them.
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or “off” when poppers are unavailable.
- Engaging in compulsive use despite negative consequences or personal intentions to stop.
When popper use becomes linked to social confidence or intimacy, it can create a self-reinforcing cycle. Breaking that cycle may require therapeutic support, especially for those balancing identity-related stress, trauma, or anxiety.
Receive Help for Poppers Addiction at Recovery Zone LA
Recognizing that the use of poppers has become a concern can feel confusing, particularly because they’re not typically viewed as addictive drugs. But if your use feels habitual, you’ve experienced health issues after using them, or you feel you “need” them to have fun, it’s important to seek guidance before the problem worsens.
At Recovery Zone LA in Los Angeles, CA, we provide evidence-based and inclusive treatment for individuals struggling with substance misuse, including for inhalants like poppers. Our team understands the unique challenges faced by members of the LGBTQIA+ community, where substance use may sometimes intersect with identity, acceptance, and belonging.
Whether used for recreation, relaxation, or intimacy, poppers carry real risks that deserve attention and care. Recognizing that you might need support is not a sign of weakness; it’s an act of strength. Contact us today to learn more.
References:
- https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/inhalants
- https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/ingesting-or-inhaling-nitrite-poppers-can-cause-severe-injury-or-death
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-250/subpart-B/section-250.100
- https://chemm.hhs.gov/countermeasure_amyl-nitrite.htm
- https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/inhalants.page