1. GAY MEN’S HEALTH
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• Impression of time slowing down,
• Giddiness.
Long term and dangerous side-
effects can include:
• Extremely high doses can
cause the potentially fatal
‘methaemoglobinaemia’ whereby the
blood is unable to carry oxygen to cells
in the body (similar to what happens
during Carbon Monoxide Poisoning).
• Because Poppers cause blood
pressure to drop and heart rate to
rise, their use is riskier for people
with glaucoma (high blood pressure in
the eye) or breathing, heart or blood
pressure irregularities.
• The use of Poppers after taking drugs
such as Viagra is dangerous as it
can cause blood pressure to drop to
dangerous, potentially fatal, levels.
• A long-term effect in humans has not
been demonstrated, but isobutyl nitrite
is considered a human carcinogen
(potentially causes Cancer).
• There are a number of reports linking
the use of Poppers to eye damage
or loss of eye sight (‘Poppers
Maculopathy’).
WHAT ARE THEY?
‘Poppers’ is the street name for a range
of chemical compounds belonging to the
‘alkyl nitrite’ family, and are one of the
most common recreational drugs. They are
available as a clear or yellow liquid in small
bottles and they have a distinctive sickly,
sweet odour. It’s important to be really
careful if you are using Poppers as it is a
flammable liquid and it’s the fumes of this
liquid which are inhaled to cause a number
of effects.
WHY DO PEOPLE USE THEM?
Poppers can be used either on their own
or with other drugs to enhance their
effects. They are often favoured by gay and
bisexual men to enhance sex as, amongst
other things, they relax the anus which
can ease discomfort during penetrative
intercourse. Some people can achieve a
‘high’ from using Poppers and can realise a
sense of sexual excitement and heightened
sensual awareness.
WHERE ARE THEY AVAILABLE?
Poppers are one of the most widely used
recreational drugs and are easily available.
They are sold by some corner shops, sex
shops, and in some bars and clubs and are
often sold under a variety of sexualised
brand names, for example ‘Rush’, ‘Locker
Room’, ‘Bolt’, ‘Ram’, ‘Liquid Gold’ and so
on. Because they are readily available over
the counter, people often think of them as
‘safe’, however this is not necessarily the
case.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
Poppers act as ‘vasodilators’, causing
blood vessels to relax and expand, which
creates an inflow of extra blood, including
a sudden surge of blood to the heart and
brain - blood pressure then drops and
the heart must beat faster to maintain
circulation. Short-term side effects of this
drop in blood pressure are instantaneous
and brief, lasting 2 to 5 minutes, although
if the dose is repeated, the experience can
go on for longer.
Short term effects include:
• Increased heartbeat,
• Flushing of the face and chest,
• Light-headedness, and very
occasionally dizziness or fainting,
• Detachment and disinhibition,
• Headache sometime after use,
POPPERS
EVERYTHINGYOUALWAYS
WANTEDTOKNOWABOUT
BUTWERETO
AFRAIDTOASK
Words: James Derham

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POPPERS SHOULD *NEVER* BE
SWALLOWED
Swallowing or drinking Poppers is very
dangerous. Quite apart from the increased
risk of methaemoglobinaemia, swallowing
poppers causes burning to mouth and
throat and can prove fatal as they interfere
with heart function.
IF THEY ARE DANGEROUS, WHY CAN
I BUY THEM?
As mentioned earlier, a number of different
chemicals have been sold as Poppers
in the past: amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite and
isobutyl nitrite. As these chemicals
have since been banned or restricted,
manufacturers have switched to selling
Poppers containing isopropyl nitrite.
Isopropyl nitrite cannot be sold legally as a
‘drug’, so like other ‘legal highs’ it is sold as
something else, such as ‘leather cleaner’
or ‘room odoriser’. Some Poppers labelling
carries warnings stating they are products
‘not intended for human consumption’ or
‘harmful if inhaled’. (Poppers are not illegal
to purchase but are not legal to sell for
human consumption).
WHAT SHOULD I BE MINDFUL OF IF
I’M GOING TO USE POPPERS?
It’s important to remember these
final points:
• Do not swallow poppers under
any circumstances. They will burn
the mouth and throat and can kill if
swallowed. If they are swallowed
seek medical advice straight away.
• Avoid using large doses or repeatedly
using smaller doses of Poppers over a
period of time.
• Do not use Poppers along with Viagra
(or similar drugs) or nitrate medicine
used for treating heart conditions.
• Poppers cause burns if they touch the
skin. If Poppers are spilt on the skin
they should be washed off straight
away with water.
• Do not smoke when using Poppers, as
the liquid is highly flammable.
• People with heart conditions or
abnormal blood pressure may be at
higher risk of complications.
• Seek medical attention straight away
if you experience any negative side
effects from using poppers.
A BIT MORE ABOUT ‘POPPERS
MACULOPATHY’
Within the past twelve months, a small
group of patients in Leeds, Manchester
and North Wales who have used Poppers
have experienced fluctuating vision – their
sight comes and goes. Some patients’
vision has recovered to normal when they
stop using poppers, and other patients
have experienced damaged vision after
just one dose. “Visual problems have been
observed with both one-off and chronic
use” says Mr Martin McKibbin, Consultant
Ophthalmologist in Leeds.
A reason for recent eye problems, where
they might not have existed in the past,
could be due to a switch from isobutyl
nitrite to isopropyl nitrite in Poppers
preparations in the UK and France a few
years ago. A piece of well-intentioned
legislation (The Dangerous Substances
and Preparations (Safety) Regulations
2006) which brought about the switch
from isobutyl nitrite to isopropyl nitrite in
Poppers may be responsible for the current
situation. “People who have used poppers
and have any new visual symptoms should
consider consulting an ophthalmologist [a
specialist medical doctor devoted to eye
and vision disorders] or having a sight
test” advises Mr Simon Kelly, Consultant
Ophthalmologist at the Royal Bolton
Hospital. “Users should tell their eye doctor
that they have been taking Poppers and
make a note of the brand that was used.
Ophthalmologists need to be aware of this
issue.”
OTHER RECENT PROBLEMS…
Recently there have been a number of
incidents where patients have been
rushed to the A&E Departments in Greater
Manchester after using Poppers. These
patients all showed similar symptoms: low
oxygen saturation, high pulse rate, low
blood pressure and blue colouring of the
skin (cyanosis).
It is thought that these symptoms may
have been as a result of swallowing or
using extremely high doses of poppers.
In some people this has been known to
cause methaemoglobinaemia (an excess of
the protein methaemoglobin in the blood),
which can be fatal.