HUFFING POSES SERIOUS DANGER TO YOUNG PEOPLE

As any parent can readily testify, teenagers are naturally rebellious. This
rebellion and quest for independence are manifested in many ways that are
sometimes socially and personally harmful.

A generation ago, one of the most alarming trends was the surge in the use
of illicit drugs and alcohol by American youth. Thankfully, there is much
good news in several recent reports showing teen drinking and drug use are
down significantly from the height of the drug culture in the 1960s and
1970s. So is teen smoking.

But even as overall teen drug use declines, new data shows fewer pre-teens
see the risk in the potentially deadly practice of "huffing,'' the
deliberate inhalation of gasoline fumes, finger nail polish remover or
similar products. Indeed, this form of getting high is showing an
unmistakably distinct and disturbing upswing.

According to a report by the Partnership For a Drug-Free America, abuse of
inhalants by middle school children has increased by as much as 44 percent
during a two-year period, driven by fewer and fewer children seeing risk in
experimenting with inhalants to get high.

"It's clear that this new generation of pre-teens has a lot to learn about
the lethal nature of inhalant abuse," says Steve Pasierb, president and CEO
of the partnership. "We've got two concerns to contend with: 1) the fact
that more kids are using inhalants to get high, and 2) fewer kids seeing
risk in this behavior, which suggests more kids will experiment in the
future."

Drawn from the partnership's latest national survey on drug use, the new
analysis reports that during the past two years inhalant abuse increased by
18 percent (from 22 to 26 percent) among eighth-graders and by an even more
alarming 44 percent (from 18 to 26 percent) among sixth-graders.

Also known among adolescents as sniffing or inhaling, huffing is
distressingly widespread. The partnership's study estimates that
approximately one in four eighth-graders - or almost one million youngsters
- - has reported trying an inhalant at least once in their lives. That's a
particularly frightening statistic, given that inhalant abuse can cause
brain damage and can lead to death, even on the first try.

Despite the danger of this practice, as well as its prevalence, huffing is
still not on most parents' radar screens.

In their annual Parent Attitude Survey conducted by the partnership, only 1
percent of parents believed their child might have inhaled such products,
yet 18 percent of their teenage children reported doing so. Such a knowledge
gap is a real sign of trouble.

And the obvious accessibility of these substances only makes matters worse.
Countless household items, from glue and nail polish to gasoline and air
fresheners, easily can become deadly, addictive substances.

Kids, usually adolescents or preteens but some as young as 7, get a quick
high by breathing these substances from an open container or inhaling from a
soaked rag held to the face.

Moreover, there tends to be a pervasive idea that the practice is harmless.
Consider, for instance, a recent Scooby-Doo movie reportedly showing a
character huffing nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can for fun - a visual
that clearly sends an irresponsible message to a vulnerable age group.

Compounding the problem is that inhalant use is addictive. And that's when
signs do become evident - the telltale "huffers" rash or drying, redness,
spots or sores around the mouth and nose; red or runny eyes or nose; paint
or stains on body or clothing; chemical breath odor; or an unexplained
collection of abusable products, just to name a few.

If you believe your child may be experimenting with "huffing,'' take action
- - now. Although many parents have had the routine talks about marijuana and
other hard drug use, this is a concern that shouldn't be left unexamined or
undiscussed. And don't assume your child is too young to experiment with
huffing: Even first-graders have been known to engage in the practice.

Especially during the summer months, when children spend more time around
the home than usual, the combination of boredom and thrill-seeking can be a
deadly one. Don't let your child become huffing's next tragic victim.