- Poppers are alkyl nitrite liquids, and a bottle sold as Rush may hold a different mix each time.
- Keeping a bottle for your own use is legal in the UK, but giving or selling it can break the law.
- Never mix poppers with erectile dysfunction medicine, and never swallow the liquid.
- If you feel chest pain or faint after use, or your vision changes, get medical help quickly.
Contents
- Rush poppers are volatile alkyl nitrite liquids sold under a brand name
- The rush lasts three to five minutes and warms the body
- Are Rush poppers legal to buy and keep in the UK?
- Heart, blood pressure and eye risks you should know about
- Labels saying “not for inhalation” do not change how bottles are used
- Reasons for use and the limits of the evidence
- Frequently Asked Questions
Rush is a brand name, not a chemical name. The same label can hide a different mix in each bottle.
So what exactly are you holding, and what could it do to you? In this article, you’ll learn what Rush poppers are, how they feel, whether you can legally buy and keep them, and how dangerous they can be.
Rush poppers are volatile alkyl nitrite liquids sold under a brand name
“Poppers” is the common name for volatile alkyl nitrite liquids. “Volatile” means they evaporate quickly, which is why you smell them within seconds.
Rush is a brand name, not a chemical name. So a bottle sold as Rush does not guarantee one fixed formula, and two Rush products can contain different nitrites.
Liquid Gold and Jungle Juice are sold under those names, but what is inside can vary. Most UK samples analysed since 2018 contained isopropyl nitrite, yet that does not guarantee what is in the bottle you hold.
Treat every bottle as unknown:
Read the label, but don’t rely on it.
Keep the bottle sealed, away from heat and flames.
The rush lasts three to five minutes and warms the body
The rush starts within 30 seconds of inhaling and usually lasts 3 to 5 minutes. During that time, you feel warmth, dizziness and stronger sexual arousal.
Because the effect fades so quickly, people often inhale again within minutes. For the risks and safer use, see effects of poppers and safer use advice.
Once inhaled, the nitrites act on your blood vessels and heart:
- Alkyl nitrites release nitric oxide, which relaxes smooth muscle, including the muscle in blood vessel walls.
- Wider blood vessels can lower your blood pressure, and your heart may beat faster.
- Your body breaks amyl nitrite down quickly: about one third of what you inhale appears in urine. That is why the effect fades fast, and why the amount you use matters.
Are Rush poppers legal to buy and keep in the UK?
Buying and keeping them for personal use
If you buy a bottle for your own use and keep it, you are not breaking the law. Alkyl nitrites are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 does not make personal possession an offence either, unless you are in custodial premises such as a prison.
Supplying them to other people
Passing a bottle to someone else is different, because the 2016 Act can cover these activities:
- Selling or giving poppers to another person, even though their effect works indirectly, through widened blood vessels.
- Importing or exporting them for human psychoactive use.
- Any supply for human psychoactive use, since nitrites have not been exempted from the Act.
Medicines law and the age question
No alkyl nitrite is licensed as a medicine in the UK, and court judgments confirm that these products fall outside medicines rules.
There is no age law for poppers today. The 1985 Act made supplying them to under-18s an offence, but the 2016 Act repealed it. The age of 16 is only a recommendation, so stick to it.
A bottle you keep for your own use is one situation. Giving it, selling it or swapping it with a friend is another, and the rules for that act are different. Before you pass a bottle to anyone, check what the law says about that specific act first.
Heart, blood pressure and eye risks you should know about
Heart and blood pressure
Poppers can lower your blood pressure. You may get a headache, dizziness or a fast heartbeat, and these effects are stronger if you have heart disease.
After use, get medical help fast if you have chest pain, fainting or a racing heart that won’t settle. Before you use, read strong poppers effects and risks.
Erectile dysfunction medicines
Mixing poppers with an erectile dysfunction medicine can cause a dangerous fall in blood pressure. Never combine alkyl nitrites with these three active ingredients:
- Sildenafil, the active ingredient in many erectile dysfunction tablets.
- Tadalafil, the active ingredient in other tablets for the same problem.
- Vardenafil, another active ingredient used for erectile dysfunction.
Swallowing the liquid
Swallowing the liquid is much more dangerous than breathing in the vapour. It can cause methaemoglobinaemia, which means the blood carries less oxygen. Severe cases can be fatal without treatment.
If someone has swallowed it, call 999 at once, even if they seem fine. Watch for breathlessness and blue or grey lips. Doctors treat it with methylene blue, given into a vein.
Eyes and vision
Poppers can also affect the eyes. This is called poppers-associated maculopathy. It can blur your sharp central vision, create a blind spot in the middle of your sight, or cause glare and flashes of light.
If your vision changes after use, get it checked quickly. Vision often improves over several weeks after you stop, but it may not fully come back.
Labels saying “not for inhalation” do not change how bottles are used
A label is not a guarantee. Many UK bottles are labelled as room deodoriser or boot cleaner, yet they say “not for inhalation”. Bottle size tells you little.
Between 2018 and June 2023, UK detections were mostly isopropyl nitrite, with other nitrites too. So treat every bottle as unknown. For prices, sizes and the law, see Iron Fist poppers in the UK.
Alkyl nitrites catch fire easily. Keep the bottle away from flames, heat and lit cigarettes.
If liquid touches your skin, rinse it off with water, as it can cause burn-like wounds. If it gets in your eyes, rinse them with water. Corneal damage has been reported, so seek medical advice if you are hurt or the eye stays painful.
Reasons for use and the limits of the evidence
Most people use poppers for a short rush or during sex. Some men who have sex with men use them for receptive anal sex.
Users say poppers relax the anal sphincter, the muscle at the entrance, so penetration feels easier and less painful. But no clinical trial has confirmed this, so treat these reports as experience, not proof.
Rush poppers are alkyl nitrite liquids, and the same name can hide a different mix in each bottle. Treat every bottle as unknown, and never swallow the liquid.
Before you use them again or pass a bottle to someone else, check the risks and the law for that act. If you feel chest pain or faint, or your vision changes, get medical help at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get addicted to poppers?
No, poppers do not cause dependence. But some people come to rely on them to enjoy sex. If you find you can’t get aroused without them, talk to your doctor or a sexual health clinic.
Are party poppers illegal in the UK?
No, party poppers are not illegal in the UK. They are not adult fireworks, though. They belong to category F1, which must not be sold to anyone under 16.
What should you do if someone swallows poppers?
Get urgent medical help: call 999 straight away, and don’t wait for symptoms. Swallowing alkyl nitrites can cause severe, potentially fatal methaemoglobinaemia, so don’t try to manage it at home.
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