MODEL RELEASED. Solvent abuse. 11-year-old boy inhaling solvent fumes from a plastic bag. Also known as glue sniffing, solvent abuse is highly dangerous and can have fatal consequences. A wide range of volatile substances such as petrol, nail polish remover, aerosols, PVA and other glues, and lighter fluid can all be abused in this fashion. The plastic bag is used to concentrate the fumes and also cuts off the fresh air supply. The fumes can cause dizziness, hallucinations, memory loss and long-term brain and liver damage. One cause of death can be suffocation, when the user passes out with the plastic bag still covering the nose and mouth.