According to data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states, 12-year-olds abuse inhalants more than marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined. Inhaling, also called "huffing," is defined as "breathing the gas, fumes or vapors of chemicals in order to get high."

Many of the inhalants used by young people are common household products -- and the practice can be deadly:

The need to increase awareness of this public health risk among physicians, parents and others cannot come too soon for Kevin Talley, the father of Amber Ann Suri, who died February 2009 after huffing.

Her parents suspected something was going on when they noticed she had a pungent smell, glassy eyes, and complained about sinus problems. Although she was taken to a doctor, her real problem was not identified and she was treated only for her sinus symptoms. She died shortly thereafter. [Source: Medical News Today]

Many young people turn to inhalants because they're cheap and legal. Unfortunately, they can also be debilitating and deadly. Addiction to inhalants can happen quickly, because the highs are so intense. The sudden increase in heart rate often caused by huffing can also be fatal.

Labels: inhalants, huffing

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

An alarmingly large number of Maine teenagers using inhalants to get high, an activity that is often referred to as huffing. For example, more than 20 percent of eighth graders in a Maine School District have tried huffing at least once.

But in the last few years, parents and school officials have increased their prevention efforts, and a June 24 article in the Republican Journal newspaper indicates that these efforts have garnered national attention:

Of those teens who die each year from inhalants, 40 percent die while trying it for the first time -- a statistic unknown to most teens or parents. Community efforts have brought the proportion of Five Town CSD eighth-graders trying huffing down to 15 percent in 2008, but too many kids are still taking risks.

"Parents usually have no idea that their kids are experimenting with inhalants, nor do they realize their own home is loaded with products that can be abused," said Dalene Dutton, executive director of Five Town Communities That Care. "Parents can quite literally save their children's lives by making a few simple changes in buying habits and becoming aware of the signs and symptoms of inhalant abuse."

Dutton was recently invited to present the work of the Five Town Communities That Care coalition at a National Academy of Sciences event in Washington, D.C. The successful work of the local coalition in using data and research to address youth behavioral problems is gaining the attention of leaders in Washington and prompted the invitation.

Teen inhalant abuse remains a troubling phenomenon throughout the United States, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimating that more than 22.9 million Americans have "huffed" at least once in their lives.

Labels: prevention, inhalants, huffing

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

In the 1980's it was gasoline and rubber cement. Today it's hair and cleaning products. "Huffing", the practice of inhaling dangerous chemical in order to get high, is not as prevalent as other forms of substance abuse, but still exists.

"These products are cheap, easy to access, provide a quick, intense buzz and allows students to return to classes odorless, unlike smoking or drinking."

The high experienced by huffing is caused by a lack of oxygen. Though the effect is short-lived, repetition can cause brain, liver, and/or kidney damage. Read more online.

Labels: huffing

Posted By: Lori S 0 Comments