Hawai‘i State Department of Health

March 19, 2004

COMMON HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS - DEADLY WHEN ABUSED

HONOLULU – One in five students in American has used an inhalant to get high by the time he or she reaches the eighth grade. Few parents know the deadly effects the poisons in inhalants have on the brain and body when they are inhaled or "huffed." It’s like playing Russian Roulette. The user can die the first, 10^th or 100^th time a product is misused as an inhalant.

Prevention through education has proven to work against this popular form of substance abuse. This is why the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition has designed the week of March 21-27, 2004, as National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week.

Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that produce intoxicating effects. Many common household products like paint thinner, glues, cleaning fluids and hair spray are among the most popular and deadly inhalants abused by young people. These extremely toxic substances are readily available and can be deadly even on the first use.

In Hawaii, data from the 2002 Hawaii Student Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use Study indicates that inhalants are the most popular drugs for 6^th graders, with 6% of these students reporting they have tried inhalants to get high at some point in their lifetime. The table below reveals that the rate of student inhalant use in Hawaii has steadily declined since 1998.

INHALANT USE – LIFETIME PREVALENCE (HAWAII 1996-2002)

GRADES	HAWAII 1996	HAWAII 1998	HAWAII 2000	HAWAII 2002	NATION 2002
6	9.7%	10.1%	5.3%	5.6%	------
8	15.2%	12.5%	9.9%	9.1%	15.2%
10	11.2%	10.2%	7.0%	8.4%	13.3%
12	7.9%	8.1%	5.7%	7.3%	11.7%

Parents and caregivers can arm themselves with information about inhalant use and TALK with their teen (s). Young people must understand the consequences of their choice to experiment and use inhalants. One unintended consequence could be death.

Inhalants fall into three categories:

Solvents (paint thinner, glues, gasoline)
Gases (butane lighters, helium, propane)
Aerosols (hair sprays, whipping cream, spray paint)

Inhalant abusers use the following methods to get high:

Sniff or snort fumes from containers
Spray aerosols directly into the nose or mouth
"Huff" fumes from an inhalant soaked rag stuffed into the mouth
Sniff fumes sprayed into a paper or plastic bag

Inhalants give the user a quick high that lasts only a few minutes, so abusers often inhale repeatedly over several hours, which can cause unconsciousness and even death. Other health hazards linked to inhalant abuse are brain damage, bone marrow damage, hearing loss, suffocation, and heart failure.

Early recognition of inhalant abuse is important for parents and caregivers. Signs include chemical odors on the breath or clothes, paint stains on skin or clothes, slurred speech, lack of appetite, lack of concentration, nausea, and disoriented appearance.

Educating young people about the dangers of inhalants is a critical part of the inhalant prevention process.

TO THINK ABOUT…

Young people state they abuse inhalants because they are cheap and available.
Inhalants are popular substances of abuse with potential tragic outcomes.
Inhalant abuse crosses all socio-economic boundaries.
Toxic chemicals can damage parts of the brain that control learning, movement, vision and hearing.

ACTION STEPS:

Talk with your teen. Give him or her facts and communicate your expectations.
Monitor inhalant substances in your home.
Pass this information to other parents.
For more information see www.inhalants.org

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For More Information Contact:

Elaine Wilson
Department of Health, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Division
Phone: (808) 692-7506
Email: ejwilson@health.state.hi.us

Laura M. Lott
Department of Health
Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 586-4418
Email: lmlott@mail.health.state.hi.us