- Poppers are volatile liquids you sniff for a quick rush, and the bottle may hold a different chemical than its name suggests.
- They lower your blood pressure, so never mix them with erectile dysfunction medicine.
- Never swallow them, and keep them away from flames.
- In an emergency, call 999 straight away.
- Need to talk? Free, confidential help is available from sexual-health clinics and FRANK.
Contents
- What poppers are and how the rush feels
- Why people use poppers and what they expect
- Are poppers legal in the UK, and what counts as an offence?
- The health risks that matter most
- What to do if something goes wrong
- Where to get confidential help with poppers use
- Frequently asked questions
Poppers are easy to find across the UK, yet many people use them without knowing what they do. Before you try or share them, you should know what they are and how they affect you.
This article covers what poppers are, how people use them, the UK law, the health risks and where to get urgent or confidential help.
What poppers are and how the rush feels
“Poppers” is the common name for a group of volatile liquids called alkyl nitrites. Some people use “amyl nitrite” for all of them, but the bottle can hold another chemical.
Testing in the UK from 2018 to June 2023 found isopropyl nitrite most often: 91 of 121 detections. One long sniff brings effects within 30 seconds, and amyl nitrite’s usually last 3 to 5 minutes.
For the rush itself and its risks, see strong poppers effects and risks.
The drop in blood pressure can cause a headache and dizziness, and your heart may beat faster. Nausea, vomiting, sweating, chills and throat irritation can also happen. If you feel faint, sit or lie down straight away, and don’t stand up quickly.
Why people use poppers and what they expect
Many people use poppers at clubs and festivals for a quick rush, often while dancing. Others use them before or during sex, including receptive anal sex.
Users often report stronger pleasure, more desire and a more intense orgasm. Some also use them to relax the anal muscle (the sphincter), which can make penetration easier or less painful.
UK figures show who uses poppers, and what to expect from them:
- Poppers do not improve an erection, and some men find it harder to get one after sniffing them.
- In 2011, 31% of 6,861 gay and bisexual men in the UK had used poppers in the past year.
- In an online UK survey from 2018, 28% of 1,648 men who have sex with men said they had used poppers just before sex.
- For risks and how long the effects last, see effects, risks and safer use.
Are poppers legal in the UK, and what counts as an offence?
Buying and using them for yourself
Buying, keeping and using poppers for yourself is not an offence under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. You are not breaking that law by doing it yourself.
Alkyl nitrites have also never been controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Legal status doesn’t make them safe, though, so keep the health risks in mind every time you use them.
Many poppers sold in the UK come in small sealed bottles, such as 15 ml ones.
Some are labelled as room deodorisers or nail-polish removers, with “not for inhalation” printed on them. That label doesn’t change the law for your own use.
For the effects, risks and the law on propyl poppers in the UK, see the guide before you buy.
Selling or sharing them with someone else
Taking money for poppers can count as supply under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, if the buyer is likely to use them for their psychoactive effects. The seller could face prosecution.
Handing them over for free can also count as supply, so the person who gives them carries the same risk.
This has never been tested in court for poppers, so the answer is not settled. If you’re unsure, don’t pass them on.
The health risks that matter most
Dangerous combinations with other medicines and drugs
The most dangerous mix is poppers with erectile dysfunction medicines. These are sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra). Both widen your blood vessels, and together they can cause a severe drop in blood pressure.
If you take one of these medicines, do not use poppers at all. If you are unsure whether something is safe with your medicine, ask a pharmacist before you use it.
Other factors also raise the risk, so check these first:
- Blood-pressure problems or blood-pressure medicine: avoid poppers, because they lower your blood pressure.
- Heart disease: poppers can have stronger effects on your heart and blood pressure.
- Alcohol: it also lowers blood pressure, so the drop can be bigger.
- Other drugs such as MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine, mephedrone or GHB: the risks are not well known, so don’t assume the mix is safe.
Swallowing, skin contact and eye damage
Swallowing them can stop your blood carrying oxygen properly, and severe cases can lead to coma or death. Keep the liquid off your skin and away from flames, as it is highly flammable. Poppers can also blur your vision, leaving a dark or missing patch in the centre of sight, and recovery can be incomplete.
They also lower your inhibitions. So decide about condoms and limits before you use them, not in the middle of sex.
What to do if something goes wrong
Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if someone has lost consciousness, has stopped breathing, is struggling badly to breathe or is having a seizure.
The same goes if they may have swallowed, touched or breathed in something harmful.
Not sure whether it is harmful? Call NHS 111 and explain what happened. They will tell you what to do next.
While you wait for help, do these things:
- If they are unconscious but breathing, use the recovery position and keep checking their breathing.
- If they are unresponsive and not breathing, start CPR.
- Stay with them and keep the bottle, container or packaging to take to hospital.
- Do not make them vomit or give them food or drink.
- Tell the emergency service what was taken, how much and when, if you know, and bring any medicines they take.
Where to get confidential help with poppers use
Want to talk about your poppers use? NHS sexual-health clinics are free and confidential. There, you can get advice, STI tests and treatment, and support after sexual assault.
If you want to cut down or have safer sex, a sexual-health service in southern England offers confidential, non-judgemental support.
Here is where to start this week:
- Call FRANK on 0300 123 6600. The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for confidential advice on drugs and the law.
- Enter your postcode in FRANK’s service finder to find local drug and alcohol support.
- If chemsex is part of your use, contact the Homerton chemsex service at Clifden Clinic or by email at huh-tr.chemsexsupport@nhs.net.
- Decide your limits while you are sober.
Poppers lower your blood pressure, and they are never safe with erectile dysfunction medicine. Never swallow them, and keep them away from flames.
Before your next use, talk to a sexual-health clinic or call FRANK. They can help you set your limits, and it’s best to do that while you are sober.
Frequently asked questions
Do poppers show up on a drug test?
No, usually not. Routine drug screens rarely test for alkyl nitrites, the chemicals in poppers.
Special laboratory methods can detect them, but the nitrites break down after contact with moisture. If a test is coming up, ask which method it uses.
Can you get addicted to poppers?
No, poppers do not cause addiction. Still, some people come to rely on them to have sex they find satisfying. If you notice you can’t enjoy sex without them, talk to FRANK or a sexual-health clinic.
How long do poppers stay in your system?
Not for long in your blood. The body breaks alkyl nitrites down quickly, so they clear fast.
A routine drug test rarely looks for them, but special lab methods can detect them. If a test is coming up, ask which method it uses.
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