ABSTRACT
The abuse of drugs has been a part of society for millennia. When the drug is taken by the inhalational route, there are acute behavioral and neurophysiological effects. This chapter discusses the epidemiology of inhalation drug abuse, their pharmacology, toxicology, clinical recognition, and therapy. Recognition, administration of narcotic antagonists, respiratory support, and oxygen therapy are the fundamentals of treating narcotic overdose. Inhalation of marijuana smoke is the most popular method for obtaining rapid absorption and the euphoric effect of the drug. The chronic use of marijuana may have adverse neuropsychological effects compounding these acute effects. While drug abuse screening programs often include phencyclidine in their protocols, the clinician is most often concerned about this drug with the acutely psychotic patient, often in the emergency room, for whom differentiation between schizophrenia and a drug-induced psychoses is a major question.
