People Are Drinking Poppers and Dying, FDA Warns

People are apparently "consuming poppers that resemble, and [are] often mistaken for, popular energy shots" and getting seriously injured and even dying in some cases, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

As reported by Gizmodo, the FDA says it has been continuously receiving complaints because of a mix up between the Rush brand of poppers and 5-hour Energy shot bottles.

"The Food and Drug Administration is warning people to stay away from recreational nitrate products, commonly known as poppers," Gizmodo said. "The drugs are intended to be inhaled, but according to the FDA, people are getting seriously hurt or even dying from ingesting poppers that look like energy-shot products."

"If someone mistakenly ingests the liquid, it can be fatal. If someone spills the liquid on their skin or wafts too close to the bottle, they may experience skin lesions, rashes, or blisters," explained Rachel Clark, communications coordinator for the nightlife health and safety organization DanceSafe, in a 2022 interview with Them.

In 2021, the FDA said doctors in the U.S. were reporting an increase in popper-related deaths and hospitalizations. On May 24, the Administration posted its message warning of the mix up.