Did you know that inhalant abuse—also known as “huffing” or “sniffing”—can cause death the first time it is tried?  Did you know that many common household products are among those often abused?  Or that young people may assume that because the products they are inhaling are safe to use in their home, that they won’t hurt them if they are inhaled?

This week (the week of March 21^st) is National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week.  Many people are unaware that inhalant abuse is widespread enough to warrant a national awareness week, but it is.  National surveys have shown that the overall lifetime rate of inhalant use for six to twelve graders is close to 10%.  Data from the 2008 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey (MYDAUS) showed that the rate for inhalant use in Maine was even higher—10.8%.  In our community rates of use have usually topped the state of Maine averages.  For example, on the 2010 MYDAUS (the most recent data available) rates of having ever used inhalants for grade eight youth was more than 13%.

Inhalants—along with tobacco and alcohol—are one of the substances abused by younger children, and are often the first substance to be abused by a young person.  In our community, the 2010 MYDAUS data showed that use of inhalants was more prevalent than use of prescription drugs to get high for middle school students.  Inhalant abuse was also more common than prescription drug abuse for our grade 10 students.

The chemical fumes, vapors and gasses from more than 1,400 easily accessible toxic items found in homes, schools, and work environments can be used to get high.  These products are generally available, low in cost and are legal to possess.  When inhaled, these chemicals can severely damage many parts of the body, including the nervous system, lungs, liver, kidneys, and even the brain.  The chemicals can take the place of oxygen in the blood and may cause asphyxiation, as well as destroy brain cells.  Long-term inhalant abuse may cause the loss of normal function in arms and legs, and loss of bladder and bowel control. Most of these chemicals are fire hazards and can cause fire or explosion.

Parents and those who regularly work with children should be on the alert for changes in a child’s attitudes and interests, decline in school performance, a disoriented/dazed appearance, slurred speech, and chemical odors on the child’s clothes, breath or backpack.

If you want to find out more about Inhalant abuse and what you can do to prevent it, visit www.inhalantabusetraining.org.  You can also contact Dalene Dutton at Five Town Communities That Care to arrange to attend a local “Inhalants: 101” training; she can be reached by email at dalene@fivetownctc.org or by phone at 236-9800.