GETTING HIGH: THE LOWDOWN FROM A CHILD

The kids and I were riding home from school when a public-service
announcement came on the radio.

"Inhalants," it warned, "used even once, can be extremely dangerous -- even
fatal."

The announcer described how kids were sniffing everything under the kitchen
sink in order to get high.

"Isn't that a shame?" I said, shaking my head. "Kids think they're being
cool. But just one bad decision can cost them their lives."

My 13-year-old son, Jay, nodded in agreement. Then, perhaps wondering what
could make a kid take such a risk, he asked, "What exactly does it mean to
get high?"

Before I could answer, my 10-year-old, know-it-all daughter Rae piped in
from the backseat. "Jay, you know what getting high is! Remember? That
happened to me last year!"

Danger Under My Nose

I don't know how I didn't slam on the brakes. Or burst into tears. Or stop
immediately to conduct an intense interrogation.

Maybe because deep down, I couldn't believe that my little girl had been
exposed to drugs, much less experienced them. Isn't fifth grade too young
to be talking about smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol and sniffing glue?

Not according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, the nonprofit
organization sponsoring the anti-inhalant campaign.

"Alcohol is by far the drug most heavily abused by children under the age
of 18," said Howard Simon, a spokesman for the partnership. "Next are
tobacco and marijuana. But people don't realize that inhalants are fourth
in line. Last year, 21 percent of teens grades seven to 12 said they'd
tried inhalants at least once."

Michigan adolescents show a lower use of inhalants. But according to the
Michigan Department of Community Health, the average age for first-time use
is 11.

"If you have these products in your house -- and chances are that you do --
your kids don't need to find a pusher to give them drugs," Simon said.
"They're right under your kitchen sink."

Inhalants, including paint fumes, model glue and cooking spray, can all
have an intoxicating effect, he said. But unlike most alcohol, tobacco and
marijuana use, their dangerous side effects can manifest themselves
immediately.

"If it's a highly concentrated chemical that you breathe directly into your
lungs, it could kill you the first time," Simon said.

Sniffing out the problem

Before I could probe more deeply into my daughter's revelation, her big
brother was on the case.

"Rae, you know you have never been high!" he yelled.

"Yes, I have, Jay," she said indignantly. "Remember when I had those bumps
on my face?"

Bumps? What kind of drug causes bumps, I wondered, still digging deeply
into denial. But Rae's confession was so emphatic, Jay and I began to fear
the worst. Maybe someone had given her drugs at school or at a slumber
party. While we imagined the possibilities, Jay searched his memory for an
explanation.

"Oh!" he said finally, "I know what you mean now! Rae, you had HIVES. You
didn't get high!"

Hives. My daughter had a rash last year, not a drug problem. We laughed,
relieved.

That had been one of our first serious conversations about drugs. But you
can bet it won't be our last.

For more information on inhalants and teenage drug abuse, visit
www.drugrfreeamerican.org