Related: Part IV http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n299/a01.html

ABUSE OF INHALANTS CAN BE BRAIN DAMAGING AND DEADLY

This is the fifth installment in a six-part series on drug abuse, provided
by the Escambia County Schools Youth Empowerment Program.

Inhalant abuse is a deadly serious behavior that can result in permanent
brain damage and immediate death. This behavior is most common among young
children under the age of 12.

Children sniff the chemicals from the product containers or place the
chemical on a rag and "huff" it. Sniffing these compounds can cause severe
brain damage and damage to the nervous system.

The inhalants work by starving the body of oxygen and can kill a user in
one session.

The common products reported in our area are gasoline, whippetts, paint
thinner and nail polish remover.

Whippetts are sold in pastry supply stores in the mall. They are
thumb-sized containers which contain nitrous oxide that fuel whipped cream
dispensers. They are usually sold in packs of 10.

Sniffing these highly concentrated chemicals can directly induce heart
failure and death although some "huffers" actually die of suffocation when
their lungs become coated with the chemical. Other common abused inhalants
include airplane glue, rubber cement, spray paint, whipped cream cans,
correction fluid, air fresheners, butane, hair spray, spot removers and dry
cleaning fluid.

While under the influence of these substances youth can have impaired
perceptions of reality, significantly impaired ability to reason, memory
loss, defective muscle coordination and a drunken like state. The effects
last from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the type and amount of
chemical used.

Multiple uses of inhalants can impair the young person's ability to retain
new information and they may lose skills previously learned when the memory
areas of the brain are damaged. Multiple uses can also cause dementia in
children.

Inhalant abuse is a very dangerous activity resulting in death or brain
damage even with the first attempt. Youth mistakenly believe that since
these are products normally found around the house or sold over the counter
that they are not harmful.

For more information on drugs, a referral for drug abuse screening or
testing or counseling intervention, please contact Sheri L. Cox, Youth
Empowerment Coordinator, Escambia County Schools, 296-0633,
scox@escambiak12.net.