Pubdate: Mon, 23 Feb 2004
Source: Brewton Standard, The (AL)
Copyright: 2004 Brewton Standard
Contact:  http://www.brewtonstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1694
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm 
(Youth)
Related: Part I http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n142/a06.html
Related: Part III 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n287/a03.html 

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,  ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman