West Hollywood : Warning Sought for Inhalants

The West Hollywood City Council has unanimously instructed City Atty. Michael Jenkins to draft legislation that would require any stores selling amyl and butyl nitrate inhalers to post health warnings about the chemicals.

The two inhalants, which are normally sold as room deodorizers, are also known as “poppers,” used often as sexual aids. Although not classified by the federal Food and Drug Administration as drugs, poppers have been known to cause skin rashes, nasal irritation, sinus and lung infections, fainting and cardiac irregularities and arrest.

Some doctors also suspect a link between moderate and heavy use of nitrite inhalants and development of Kaposi’s sarcoma in victims of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The Los Angeles County AIDS Task Force has “recommended that nitrite inhalant substances be avoided among individuals at risk for AIDS.” New York state has banned the inhalants and San Francisco has ordered stores selling them to post health warnings.