Poppers: Amyl nitrite and related substances – a brief clarification

»Inhalable nitrites are the closest of all drugs to genuine aphrodisiacs.« I have nothing to add to this sentence. It comes from a well-founded scientific publication that appeared in the USA in 1982, is based on numerous studies and has lost none of its topicality to this day.

Even 30 years after this groundbreaking work, however, the legal situation is anything but simple. There are a good half dozen substances with the effect of poppers. Amyl nitrite, or more precisely isopentyl nitrite, is one of them. As a former prescription drug, amyl nitrite is actually only allowed to be sold in pharmacies. According to my research from 2006, this is no longer the case. None of the popper-like compounds appear any more in the »Red List« of medicines approved in Germany.

But who among us uses poppers as medicine? Of course, we only use it as a room aroma, audio head cleaner, leather cleaner or as an additive for model plane fuel.

By the way, this all really works, at least if you can keep your erection in control long enough!

Poppers used to be inhaled for acute heart issues (angina pectoris). The nitric oxide released in the body during its degradation causes as neurotransmitter a sharp drop in blood pressure. Nowadays, nitroglycerine(!) is used as a medicine in such cases. Of course, one does not eat dynamite cartridges, but takes it in small capsules. The active ingredient has the same coronary vasodilator effect, but without all the pretty side effects we love the stuff for.

Our web shop contains a whole range of products that are needed around it, such as non-fiction books, inhalers, belt pouches and one-handed literature that provides the necessary excitement when sniffing.

Amyl nitrite is only contained in a few commercially available varieties. These include Jungle Juice Gold and Amsterdam. The other varieties mostly contain propyl nitrite as well as mixtures with other compounds and/or flavourings. The strength of the varieties depends less on the ingredients than on the user’s daily form and the temperature of the liquid. Since the active ingredient strongly lowers blood pressure, you should refrain from taking it if your blood circulation is poor or your blood pressure is naturally too low. In the easy case, you will only get a terrible headache. But you can also faint for a short time. This is not life-threatening, but it is very unpleasant – so be careful!

Contrary to common belief, it will keep for several years in its original sealed packaging if you store it in the dark. If you have opened the bottle and do not need it within six to eight weeks, you can store it tightly closed in the refrigerator. But do not open the ice-cold bottle afterwards! Cold poppers condenses water from the humidity into the bottle (a reverse beer-glass effect) and the active ingredient decomposes into a stinky brown sludge within days. So hold back your horniness until the bottle is warm (but: don’t heat it, or BOOM!). It’s worth it, because hand-warm poppers has a much stronger effect than cold one.

It is even stronger (and more appropriate for its use as a room aroma) if you spread a few drops on a piece of kitchen roll and keep the paper in a sealed (jam-)jar. This will last for a few hours and when you open the lid you can hear the angels singing if you happen to have your nose over it.

Some varieties, e.g. Rush, contain small ceramic beads that can bind traces of water. But don’t expect too much from it. If the beads only stick to the bottom of the bottle as slime, then better discard it, because the bottle was not tight. This happens from time to time, even with good varieties, because even the best bottling plants do not work flawlessly.

Also keep your hands off from self filled bottlings. They usually don’t last long because the (private) bottlers can’t work water-free enough. The necessary equipment quickly costs six-figure sums! Only the original sealed branded goods are (usually) water-free enough.

By the way, you can rely on your nose to determine the quality! If you notice the typical popper smell of old socks when you open the bottle, then the stuff was not clean or dry. Clean poppers only have a faint, slightly fruity smell! The smell comes from the decomposition products (amyl alcohol = lint oil). You can only dispose of the bottle and its contents inconspicuously, because it no longer works.

With this in mind, I wish you a lot of fun in cleaning your audio and video heads.
Mike Gorden (chemist by profession)