Side Effects and Dangers of Using Poppers

  Overview The most common type of poppers inhalant is amyl nitrite. It is often confused with amyl nitrate, which is, in fact, a different chemical with a similar name, often misspelled as amil nitrate. Poppers are also known as liquid gold, butyl nitrite, heart medicine, and room deodorizer. The term poppers first began being used for these drugs in the 1960s, when amyl nitrite, which was then used as a heart medicine, was sold in capsules that were cracked, or "popped," to release the chemical. How Poppers Are Used Although rarely used for heart problems today, amyl nitrite is still used to treat cyanide poisoning. Poppers are widely used as recreational drugs, especially on the gay scene, and are typically taken as fumes inhaled directly from small bottles. Poppers are cheap and easy to acquire, often sold as a room deodorizer or as sex enhancers in sex shops, although their use carries significant risks. With brief, intense effects lasting from just a few...