# Ethane and Intoxication

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethane-and-intoxication/753305>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethane-and-intoxication/753305 "2016-04-28T02:05:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethane-and-intoxication/753305/1 "2016-04-28T02:05:15Z")

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Can you get drunk breathing ethane?

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**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethane-and-intoxication/753305/2 "2016-04-28T02:17:43Z")

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I recall a chart showing a relationship between solubility in hexanes (or maybe just n-hexane) and anaesthetic or analgesic ability. But I’m not seeing it tonight.

I thought it had to do with dissolution in cell membranes causing problems with neurotransmission. But I checked the articles on nitrous oxide and xenon and didn’t see a mode of action like that.