10 things you should know about poppersA number of us take them casually. Some of us are even addicted to them. A few of us dont have sex unless were using them. Poppers.A staple in the gay community, and something a number of us use to get a little head rush during sex and loosen our rear. So what are poppers, really? What is this weird smelling liquid we love to inhale?Here are 10 things you should definitely know about poppers.2. Poppers work by relaxing the smooth muscles in your bodyThis includes the sphincter muscles in your anus, which is why you loosen up right after inhalation.Smooth muscles surround the bodys blood vessels, so when they relax, it causes blood vessels to dilate, which results in the increase of heart rate and blood flow throughout the body. This is what leads to the feeling of euphoria you get after using them, according to The Good Drugs Guide.1. Poppers is slang for a chemical class called alkyl nitrites Sothe word poppers is actually just slang for alkyl nitrites. Good to know, because we shouldprobablyknow what were putting into our bodies, right?3. Poppers became big during the gay disco of the 70sIn the '70s and '80s, gay men would sniff poppers at gay clubs to enhance the music and get high. In the '90s, poppers were used in the growing gay rave scene. Now, however, poppers have become more popularized, and some straight people use poppers recreationally (not for sex) at clubs too.4. Taking poppers and Viagra is very dangerousBoth Viagra and poppers cause a persons blood pressure to drop. The combination can result in fainting, stroke, or a heart attack/death, according to LGBT Foundation.5. Dont ingest themSoundsobvious, right? But some people have ingested poppers, usually accidentally, and that can cause death, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.6. Only 3 percent of the population use poppers Compare that to the 10 percent of American adults who report smoking marijuana in the past year. As far as drugs go,popper use isnt that popular, even though its legal. But the 3 percent makes sense, because gay men predominantly use poppers and that percentage roughly reflects the number of gay men in the population.7. The UK almost banned poppersRememberwhen that happened back in early Spring of this year? Apparently, the only reason it didnt pass was because of a technicality, according to The Guardian.8. Canada banned poppersIn 2013, Canada cracked down on the distribution of poppers, warning that sales of poppers could lead to a three-year jail sentence or a $5,000 fine, according to DailyXtra.com.9. Negative side effectsLike any drug, there are some negative side effects from taking poppers. The main short term ones are light headedness/headache and occasional dizziness or fainting. Long term side effects include eye damage or loss of eyesight Poppers Maculopathy and extremely high doses can potentially lead to the fatal methaemoglobinaemia where blood is unable to carry oxygen to cells in the body. (Its like what happens with Carbon Monoxide poisoning), LGBT Foundation reports.10. You technically need a prescription for amyl nitriteAmyl Nitrite was originally a prescription drug in 1937 and remained until 1960, but in 1960, the FDA removed the prescription due to the fact that its relatively safe. In 1969, however, it was reinstated as a prescription drug. You can buy substances that obtain alkyl nitrites other than amyl nitrite at most sex shops that sell recreational drug paraphernalia. They may be purchased legally, and are advertised as nail polish remover (or something else along those lines).