STUDENTS TALK INHALANTS

RUSSELLVILLE - Kevin Washer was a freshman at Logan County High School when
he stumbled into a new drug, undetected by teachers, parents and many law
enforcement authorities. The drug abuse began when Washer saw his friends
sneak outside to sniff rubber cement and he later would huff spray paint
from a plastic bag. The high lasted about two hours, usually followed by
nausea and finally a heavy sleep.

Now 16, Washer said he is clean from the inhalant abuse and spoke Tuesday
at an inhalant forum held at the Logan County Courthouse to educate other
youth and parents.

Inhalants are legal household products, such as fingernail polish remover,
paint and nitrous oxide, that when used improperly can offer a cheap, but
unsafe chemical-induced high.

"It's hard to look for," Washer said after the meeting.

Washer's mother became alerted to his abuse of the inhalant when she
noticed him sleeping more than usual and smelled the chemicals in his room,
he said.

About 20 people attended the event entitled, "Death Just a Breath Away,"
which was organized by Bucksville Homemakers and the Youth Action Team of
Logan County.

Bucksville Homemaker president Tammy Tinsley said the group has presented
health and drug awareness forums in the past, but this is the first on the
topic of inhalants.

Tinsley hopes to continue the forums to educate students about the dangers
of inhalant abuse and to educate parents about signs that their children
may be using, which include red eyes, paint around the face and sores
around the mouth.

"We all know as parents it's our responsibility to teach them wrong from
right," Tinsley said. "If we don't teach them someone else will."

Russellville police Sgt. Roger McDonald said the city has seen a handful of
huffing cases, noting the type of drug abuse is probably more prevalent
than law enforcement authorities realize.

Police are trained to identify more common forms of illegal drugs such as
marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine, but sometimes are not as familiar
with different types of huffing agents, he said.

"Parents need to watch their children," McDonald said. "We need to help any
way we can get them back on the right track."