Poppers

Poppers is a general term for volatile, strong-smelling liquids containing alkyl nitrites, sold in small 10–30 ml bottles. The name goes back to the time when the amyl nitrite used in medicine was packaged in small glass ampoules. The pop they made when crushed gave rise to the colloquial name that spread later.

Medical background. The Scottish physician Thomas Lauder Brunton published a paper in The Lancet in 1867 on the use of amyl nitrite in angina pectoris. The substance dilates blood vessels, which was of interest to the medicine of the day; other drugs, among them nitroglycerin, came into use later. This background does not mean that the products sold today under the name poppers are medicines or are suitable for self-treatment: they are chemicals and they are sold as chemicals.

Disco, clubs and nightlife. By the 1970s poppers had moved out of the medical context and came to be associated with nightlife and the dance floor. In a Toronto study published in 1978, based on 70 interviews, respondents linked use mainly to dancing and sexual encounters. The study reflected above all the experiences of gay men in one particular social setting, which is why the history of poppers is also tied to the history of gay communities and their meeting places. The use of one substance cannot, however, be treated as a marker of belonging to a community: alongside those who used it there were always people who did not. The association with the dance floor continued after the disco era, and British sources describe poppers spreading in the dance and rave venues of the 1980s and 1990s.

In Estonia. Poppers began to appear in Estonian sex shops in the early 2000s and more widely after accession to the European Union, when trade with Western European suppliers became easier.

Types of poppers. The main substance in poppers is an alkyl nitrite — amyl, pentyl or propyl nitrite. The best-known product lines are Amsterdam Poppers, Jungle Juice, Jolt Poppers, Rush and Rave, and Push Poppers, but a brand name is not the name of a chemical composition and does not on its own say enough about a particular product’s properties or safety. That is why every product states which substance it contains and the CAS number — the international code that identifies one exact substance — under which that substance is known. The substances differ measurably: isopropyl nitrite boils at 40 °C and isoamyl nitrite at about 99 °C, so isopropyl evaporates far faster, an open bottle empties sooner and the smell hits harder. The smell is strong and penetrating in every case. Safety data sheets call it fruity, but in practice it is above all a solvent smell, most often compared to acetone. Isopropyl nitrite has been associated in the scientific literature with damage to the macula and with visual disturbances; no such association has been described for amyl or pentyl nitrite.

Safety. The effect of poppers is short-lived — its duration is measured in minutes, and the most common side effect is headache. Poppers can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, and inhaling or swallowing it can cause severe poisoning. Swallowing can be fatal: in that case call 112 at once, or the Estonian Poison Information Centre on 16662. Use together with erectile dysfunction medicines, and with blood pressure medicines, is particularly dangerous. Contact of the liquid with skin or eyes can cause injury. Keep out of the reach of children.

Storage. Keep the bottle tightly closed, cool and dark, away from open flame. An open bottle does not keep for long — the liquid evaporates and breaks down on contact with moisture in the air.

Why the label says “leather cleaner”. Poppers are usually sold as a technical product, for example under the name “leather cleaner” or “room odouriser”. The name follows the product’s stated purpose: this is a technical product and it is not intended for inhalation or ingestion.

The Eros.ee poppers range meets the applicable requirements and comes from reliable European Union suppliers. All our poppers are in stock on site. Poppers in Estonia — buy quality poppers from Eros.ee.