Butane

[Emerita]

Inhaling butane, a central nervous system depressant, can lead to serious and potentially fatal effects. Due to its high lipid solubility, butane rapidly enters the central nervous system (CNS). Butane is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs, where it displaces oxygen, leading to hypoxia. This volatile gas can have anesthetic effects, and most fatalities occur rapidly.

Direct Hazards
The inhalation of butane has the potential to cause severe brain damage and other neurotoxic effects. Cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, can result from Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS). SSDS is recognized in the majority of butane related deaths, SSDS is especially dangerous for those who experience rapid increases in adrenaline after inhalation. Other potential causes of death include neurological damage, suffocation, choking, flammable accidents, and multiple organ failure.

No Qualitative Evidence For Human LC50
Rodent studies suggest an LC50 around 680 g/m³ over 2 hours (~287,000 ppm), although human equivalents have not been established.

Case Review Studies 2022
Involving 54 patients with butane toxicity revealed that most died at the scene some died in the hospital. In this study survival rate was 20%, only 11 patients survived, experiencing severe medical manifestations such as:

- Coma
- Seizures
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Myocardial infarction
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Hypoxia
- Motor impairment

Survivors received critical medical care and primarily exhibited cardiac and neurological symptoms, with many eventually making a full recovery. The study showed favorable outcomes for patients, although many required rehabilitation. MRI and autopsy reports indicated white matter damage and basal ganglia injury in both survivors and those who died.

Death Statistics - butane has high mortality rates

2024 Review of 58 butane-related deaths:
- 11 cases were suicides (18%)
- 1 case was a homicide (2%)
- 44 cases were accidental (76%)
- 2 cases were work related deaths (4%)

Autopsy findings commonly included pulmonary edema (51%) and multi-visceral congestion (59%).

The Experience of Dying can vary, but it is generally characterized by a rapid onset.

- Euphoria and Disorientation:
- Loss of Consciousness:
- Physical Symptoms:

Butane is a relatively rare method of suicide, most deaths are accidental and occur among individuals who have history of chronic abuse of the substance. People who huff butane may do so incrementally, using higher doses.

I have a can right in front of me it has this warning:

"Deliberately inhaling highly flammable butane is extremely dangerous and can cause instant death"

Butane substance abuse side effects:

Immediate	Long term
Slurred speech	Tinnitus
Hallucinations	Vision impairment
Nausea or headache	Lack of coordination
Sedation	Coughing
Aggression	Dizziness
Short term memory loss	Shortness of breath

I just thought about this I don't know how dangerous and stupid this is and wouldn't advise this to anyone as this is just a thought process I had.

Make modifications to a torch if the flint or ignition mechanism is removed, the torch would not ignite on its own, requiring an external ignition source. This could lead to a situation where the torch can be used to dispense butane without immediate ignition.

In this modified state, the torch could potentially allow for the controlled flow of butane gas, similar to how gas dispensing systems operate just to a lesser extent. This could enable a setup where the gas is released without a flame, pose as a way to administer inhalation, if the torch has lock this would allow for the continued flow of the gas. If not handled properly explosion is possible.

Any modifications to a butane torch should be approached with extreme caution due to the inherent dangers associated with handling flammable gases. A safe environment is crucial. knowing the dangers associated with this chemical is essential doing your own research allows for better insight.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bcpt.13760
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5505817/
https://propanehq.com/how-is-butane-harmful-to-humans-2/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201460/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4563975/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4309026/
small study fact sheet

 

[gothbird]

Butane and propane are often misused to get high. PPH doesn't have anything on these gases though, so please be cautious.

Butane is a relatively rare method of suicide, most deaths are accidental and occur among individuals who have history of chronic abuse of the substance.

There are quite a few NIH articles discussing how some folks have used CPAP masks and similar items in relation to butane suicides. Honestly, I think there may be even more people than the research indicates who use it for suicide, possibly having abused it beforehand. Of course, that's just a theory. The method seems to be similar to other gas suicides. If anyone's interested in reading more about reports from NIH, you can try using ("Suicide"[MAJR]) AND "Butanes"[MAJR] as your search criteria. Here are some I glossed over:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1752928X24000246 - A suicide in prison from Butane
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32519317/ - Aforementioned CPAP mask suicide with Butane
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29017087/ - Article about how there is a rise in Butane deaths and/or suicides in Japan
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40060255/ - Butane mentioned as a gas related death thing (shouts out SS without saying it haha)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22402846/ - Suicidal intoxication with Butane
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13606532/ - Suicide attempt with Butane
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13509354/ - Suicide with Butane
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5077807/ - Suicide with Butane
https://keio.elsevierpure.com/en/pu...cases-involving-asphyxia-by-butane-inhalation - Study on two Butane suicides

Thanks for the thread. Interesting offering to the ever growing list of suicide methods haha.

 

[bankai]

Hmm I used a gas cannister to caramelize the sugar on the creme brulee I made.it was a butane can brazing torch.easily available online.