People are dying after taking drug mistaken for energy shots, FDA says

The FDA’s latest warning about the risks of poppers contends the drug is began mistaken for the energy shots sold in little bottles.

“We continue to receive reports of people dying or being severely injured after consuming poppers that resemble, and often [are] mistaken for, popular energy shots,” said the social media post Wednesday. The post included a link to the Food & Drug Administration’s 2021 statement on poppers.

Poppers are amyl nitrite or a similar vasodilator that causes a head rush and muscle relaxation. Used as an inhaled recreational drug, they can be bought at sex shops and online.

Because of restrictions on what uses such substances can be sold for in the United States, they are often labeled as leather cleaner, nail polish remover or room deodorizer, though their names hint at their use as a party drug: Super Rush, Ecstasy Pop, Jungle Juice.

They are now generally sold in small bottles, as are the 2-ounce doses of caffeine-loaded energy shots such as 5-hour Energy. Poppers, however,  cause chemical burns to skin and can be lethal if ingested. The fumes are sniffed from the bottle or after being poured on an absorbent material.

There are also risks to inhaling the drug, which causes a drop in blood pressure and sometimes abnormal heart rhythm.