Here are the facts
"Poppers"... What are they?
1. "Poppers" is the street term used for nearly 50 years to describe the misuse of any alkyl nitrite (including amyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite and butyl nitrite) as inhalants for recreational purposes.
2. Although "Poppers" have only recently come to the public attention, alkyl nitrites have been inhaled for over one hundred years. They have had a long and well-documented history of public safety. This record is strongly reinforced by the fact that during the past 35 years a very high probability has existed that a large percentage of all nitrite odorants sold were misused as "poppers".
Who Wants Them Banned and Why?
1. Despite that long safety record of alkyl nitrites, the AIDS phenomenon opened the door of opportunity for certain self-serving individuals to promote themselves as “experts" on the study of "poppers" and to condemn their use as unsafe. These self-proclaimed "experts" did not have the knowledge of immunology or epidemiology to make informed judgments about AIDS or its cause. Real experts now tell us that AIDS is caused, not by "poppers", but by a virus and that the misuse of nitrites as "poppers" appears rather clearly NOT to be causally associated with AIDS or any of its opportunistic infections. In 1987, the large MCS study, among others, confirmed that no such connection exists.
Are They Really Safe?
1. Anti-"popper" individuals suggest "poppers" are unsafe because they are not regulated by any government agency. This is simply not true. Of the compounds most commonly used as "poppers", amyl nitrite is regulated by the FDA and nitrite-based room odorizers are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Within the past few years, the CPSC has twice been asked to restrict isobutyl nitrite products and has twice, after thorough investigation, decided that the safety record of these products did not indicate that such action was necessary. Although responsible nitrite odorant manufacturers have never encouraged or promoted the misuse of their nitrite odorants as "poppers", they have long recognized the high probability of such misuse. They, therefore, have shared a deep concern and responsibility toward each responsible adult user of these products. (in much the same manner that responsible children's crayon manufacturers recognize that their crayons will be eaten and thus assure that they are safely edible.)
2. A review of the literature clearly shows that inhalation of the alkyl nitrites poses no significant health hazard.
©1988 by Chemsearch, Ltd
