Recently, we at the Benton Police Department have been helping to educate about, and eradicate, illegal prescription drug use in our community. We will continue to do so, but I would like to take a moment to mention another problem we are starting to encounter.
The referenced problem is the abuse of inhalants by juveniles. This is not a new problem per se, but it one that our officers are starting to see more and more on a regular basis. National studies have shown that approximately 10% of 8th graders have abused an inhalant of some sort. What makes this fact even scarier is that this high they are receiving can be done using common items found around most homes.
One frequent way they obtain this high is to do what they call “bagging” or “chroming”. This term refers to the fact they spray computer dusting sprays, spray paint, or air fresheners into (usually) a plastic bag and inhale the contents quickly. The “chroming” term comes from the fact that metallic spray paint is sprayed into the bag and causes a high. There have been times our officers have found juveniles who have paint (usually gold) around the opening of their mouth where they formed a seal with the bag, which a common sign of this type of abuse.
Another common way is to “huff” the inhalant into the body. This is done by “huffing” the vapors, gases, or fumes from such items as glue, gasoline, and paint thinner to obtain the high. This is usually done by holding an inhalant soaked cloth to the mouth, or sometimes even in the mouth, and breathing in deeply. The high can also be obtained by taking a “whippet”, which is the breathing in of nitrous oxide found in most cans of whipped cream.
“Huffing” is also commonly done in conjunction with “sniffing” of inhalants. “Sniffing” is done by directly ingesting the inhalant through the nose to obtain the high. Sometimes these inhalants are placed on shirt collars or sleeves to help hide it and allow prolonged inhalation of the substance. This is especially common when gasoline is being abused.
What a lot of juveniles, and even parents, don’t realize is how serious abusing inhalants can be. Sudden Sniffing Death syndrome is a term used to describe when death occurs from sudden cardiac arrest immediately upon using an inhalant. What’s even scarier is that this can happen the first time, or anytime, an individual uses an inhalant. Other irreversible effects that can occur are hearing loss, limb spasms, and brain damage.
The purpose of this article isn’t to scare anyone, but it is our hope that by educating parents and guardians about trending problems we can help you keep your children safe. If you have any questions or concerns, about this matter or any others, please feel free to contact the police department at 776-5948. You may also visit our website at: www.bentonpolice.org for more helpful information and articles. Be safe out there.
(Source: www.inhalant.org, www.nida.nih.gov)