Common substance, uncommon danger A 13-year-old boy sniffs glue as he lies dazed near a garbage heap. In the United States, at least 6 percent of all people have tried to get high by inhaling the hydrocarbons found in common substances such as glue, gasoline, paint thinner, cleaners, and spray-can propellants (APA, 2013). Such behavior may lead to inhalant use disorder and poses a number of serious medical dangers.