FDA crackdown on 'poppers' triggers supply rush

Retailers along Santa Monica Boulevard report a surge in demand for poppers, the recreational inhalant popular in LGBTQ+ communities, following a FDA raid on manufacturer Double Scorpio earlier this month. The enforcement action has sparked concerns about a broader crackdown on the product that has long existed in a legal gray area.

Poppers, small vials containing alkyl nitrite, produce a brief but intense feeling of euphoria when inhaled and cause smooth muscle relaxation. Though officially prohibited for human consumption by the FDA, these products have been openly sold as nail polish remover, liquid incense, or VHS tape cleaner.

The purchasing frenzy extends beyond Los Angeles, with similar reports emerging nationwide. Some retailers have implemented purchase limits to manage inventory, while others have removed products from shelves entirely or raised prices amid supply uncertainty.

Various brands, including Pig Sweat, Brown Bottle, and Dumb Bitch Juice, have become increasingly difficult to find following the Double Scorpio raid. Major distributors, including Pac-West Distributing and Nitro-Solv, have shut down their websites or posted notices that they no longer operate.

Poppers maintain significant popularity among gay men, with approximately one-third having used them and about 20% reporting use within the previous three months, according to a 2020 report in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs and a 2018 study in the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services.

Despite their prominence at retail locations – where bottles are often displayed prominently near cash registers – retailers maintain careful language around the products. According to sources familiar with sales practices, customers asking specifically for "poppers" are unlikely to be served.

"You can call it so many things, but you can't call it poppers," said Jay Sosa, an associate professor of gender, sexuality and women's studies at Bowdoin College in Maine and a scholar of the drug.

Everett Farr III, a longtime producer of Rush-branded nail polish remover, cautioned against interpreting the current situation as unprecedented. "This is not my first rodeo," said Farr. "It's been pursued religiously before."

Farr, who acquired the Rush trademark in the 1990s, has developed expertise in marketing and selling within legal boundaries. "I manufacture a completely legal product," he stated. "Some people don't understand the law and how to comply with it."

Many observers view the current enforcement actions in a broader political context. Some connect it to other policy changes affecting LGBTQ+ communities under the Trump administration, including restrictions on gender-affirming therapies and potential cuts to HIV prevention programming.

"If that's the weather, then [the crackdown on poppers] is a lightning bolt," said Adam Zmith, author of "Deep Sniff, a History of Poppers and Queer Futures." "It's designed to be intimidating."

The FDA did not provide details about the Double Scorpio raid, nor did it identify which other nitrite manufacturers had been targeted or when such actions occurred. 

A statement on Double Scorpio's website acknowledged the situation: "We don't have a lot of information to share but we believe that the FDA has performed similar actions towards other companies recently."

Double Scorpio co-founder Julian Bendaña referred questions to legal counsel, who did not immediately respond to him.