Poppers are a new substance that has stepped into the limelight recently. They have been around for years, but have just recently reentered the mainstream. These small bottles are known for giving users a brief but intense head high when sniffed. While it sounds fun, you should never stick your nose somewhere it shouldn’t be. So before you start sniffing with reckless abandon, put your nosiness to use and read up on the new rush.
Due to recent exposure in the media, poppers are starting to become a more mainstream party drug. Though what is inside these little bottles and where have they been before now?
Poppers have had a strong root in the LGBTQ+ community since the early 1970s. They were especially big in the underground queer clubbing scene and were colloquially known to some as “hippie crack.” Moreover, a contemporary queer pop star has brought poppers back onto the dance floor over the last few months.
Troye Sivan’s hit single “Rush,” which was named after one of the most popular brands of poppers, have seemingly reignited interest in the drug amongst his fanbase and enjoyers of the single. The song and music video showcased scenes of the queer community in nightlife spaces as a means to portray the floating high poppers give. That imagery was enough to get more people interested in what these colorful little bottles had in store.
People of all backgrounds have started to become a little nosy and see what all the rush is about. Though before you go sniffing where you shouldn’t, let’s find out what is in these colorful little bottles.
What’s Popping?
If you’ve seen people passing around something that looks like a 5-hour ENERGY bottle, chances are it’s poppers. According to the Alcohol and Drug Federation, poppers are classified as an amyl nitrite inhalant.
It is a depressant, which means it’s a substance that slows down the messages sent from your brain and body. The effect is described as a very intense head high that lasts for a few seconds. Hence the name “rush” being given to one of its brands, as the amyl nitrate literally rushes through you.
Poppers can be found near the checkout of many smoke shops in small colorful bottles. Even though it is legal to sell nitrates in the U.S., some brands aren’t marketed solely as poppers. Some have packaging that details them as “leather cleaners,” “nail polish removers,” or some similar cleaning product to avoid flak from the Food and Drug Administration, the regulatory body in the United States that oversees the creation and distribution of food, drugs and other related goods.
Poppers at one time were mainly used as a drug to enhance sex, as they are taken right before or even during to relax the body — specifically the rectal muscles —and to heighten the pleasure experienced. This sense of bodily relaxation and the loosening of specific muscles is why they first became big within queer communities, especially queer men. The relaxation makes it easier for penetrative anal sex due to the momentary feeling of numbness caused by the drug.
Eventually, poppers became more widely used, making their way to non-queer social venues because of the quick and intense high they can give users.
While there are no immediate side effects of popper usage, the FDA explains that excessive use can lead to nausea, headache and vomiting. Many bottles have warnings on them explaining that direct skin contact with the substance inside the bottle may lead to a rash.
Who’s Popping?
As mentioned earlier, poppers were big in queer communities, and still are. But when Troye Sivan’s released his hit single “Rush,” it was like free advertising for poppers.
“I’ve known about them for a while from Twitter, like the concept of poppers. But this summer I seriously think Rush by Troye Sivan played a big role,” added an anonymous UM student — who this article will refer to as Chris — that just recently got into them.
As a gay man himself, Chris agreed that he had heard of them before across gay media, though only tried it after their sudden surge in popularity.
He elaborated adding, “[Poppers are] definitely more mainstream now than they ever have been. Gay culture as a whole has been more mainstream than it’s ever been, too.”
The large scope and mostly accepting environment of the internet has caused facets of the queer community to be adopted by the public. Popular music artists, fashion and lingo, all of which have made their way into staples of online culture. It’s because of this rise in queer culture that they attribute more people using poppers. Which was not something that they were expecting.
“Like, my straight girlfriends back home love doing poppers, and for what,” admitted Chris.
Another anonymous student — who this article will refer to as Kim — provided the answer, saying she likes the momentary high poppers give.
“They’re great when you go out because you can feel it for a little bit, but once it passes, you’re back to normal,” said Kim.
Kim said she saw a friend of hers using them on a night out and asked him to try it. After enjoying the experience, she has sprinkled poppers into a few of her nights out since.
“It didn’t seem like something I would be interested in, but they’re pretty good and pretty cheap, too,” said Kim.
Chris recalled a time when he was hanging out with some friends of his, and a very straight friend of his asked for a hit of his poppers.
“I was just surprised,” said Chris. “It was funny, too. Some of his friends there said that poppers were ‘gay’ but he didn’t think so. Then he handed it to them for them to try, and then there were like five frat guys all taking poppers.”
For What Dost Thou Pop?
Over time usage of poppers has shifted from what it was first marketed for. They were originally known as a sex enhancement drug but were eventually then brought into the club scene where people would use them to become one with the music.
Currently, now that the poppers demographic is changing, how they’re being used is as well. However, there seems to be a strong connection between the present and the drug’s roots.
We interviewed another student — who this article will refer to as Blake — who loves going to see live music and they said that popper use was common in those scenes.
“When I went to Factory Town [Miami] the air pretty much smelled like poppers,” said Blake. “Anywhere where there’s loud music. Raves, concerts, clubs, stuff like that.”
They added that especially for concerts and other performances you pay a lot of money for, you want to be able to remember it. If you get too drunk or high you might only remember snippets of the show, whereas with poppers you only feel the high for a few minutes.
“Plus, they’re easier to sneak in,” added Blake.
Kim also mentioned that she uses poppers as a substitute on nights where she doesn’t want to party too hard. She doesn’t feel as quick on her feet the morning after but feels less of a “hangover” than what alcohol or other substances cause.
Chris uses his poppers more often than the two sources we spoke with, mostly because he uses them as a source of relaxation.
“They’re great, especially after a stressful day,” said Chris. “I’d watch a movie and sniff it a little here and there for a smaller buzz.”
However, he added that even as a gay man, he never once thought of using them for sex. “I know that’s what they were originally for but, I don’t know, [it] just doesn’t seem that interesting to me.”
Poppers are more versatile than they might seem after being introduced to a wider market. However, stay vigilant. Just because you see people doing something doesn’t mean you have to jump on the bandwagon as well.
You should vet everything you put into your body no matter what hole it goes in, so this should be no different. If you find yourself wanting to try to get a trusted brand and some trusted friends around, you in a controlled environment. Start off small, and make sure you react okay.
Feel the rush, but please rush responsibly.
words&design_sal puma. photo_sharron lou.
This article was published in Distraction’s Spring 2024 print issue.
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