Chloroethane

Chloroethane

Other names	Ethyl chloride, spray poppers
Health risk	High
Addiction risk	Moderate
Legal risk	Mild
External links	PsychonautWiki Erowid

Chloroethane (also known as ethyl chloride, or spray poppers, and under various trade names such as Maximum Impact® and Black Max®) is a volatile organic solvent which produces rapid-onset intoxication when its vapors are inhaled.

Background

Medical uses

Chloroethane was previously used as an inhalational anesthetic to produce general anesthesia. However, its flammability, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics have led to it being replaced by more modern agents such as sevoflurane. It is still sometimes used as a local anesthetic due to the chilling effect produced by topical evaporation.

Mechanism of action

Chloroethane is thought to produce intoxication primarily through GABA receptor agonism, similar to other volatile anesthetics.