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The number of kids getting high off common household products, such as keyboard cleaner and liquid paper, has been slowly rising for years. But studies show it’s reached a new high. According to the ‘Partnership for a Drug-Free America’, one in five teenagers now say they have used inhalants.

Experts say most kids still aren’t getting the message- inhalants are dangerous and deadly.

17-year-old Christie say she’s tried it all: “Everything from like spray-paint, glue, everything.”

“You can buy cream chargers, that’s what they call it,” says 20-year-old Heather Hutchins, “the nitrous oxide, those are a lot of fun.”

Experts say the number of teens using inhalants is going up. What’s going down is the message that “huffing” is deadly.

“Inhalant perceived risk numbers are going down,” explains clinical psychologist Marietta Collins, “They don’t think it’s as dangerous as it was in the past, because they’re not getting the message that inhalants can kill.”

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with inhaling, anything unless your body starts to deteriorate, you know,” says 19-year-old Brandi M.

“Kids just feel that they’re invulnerable – that this won’t happen to me, that I can try this one time and see what it’s like,” warns Collins. “And sometimes, unfortunately with drugs, one time is too many.”

That was the case for 17-year-old Ashley Carter. She died after inhaling computer cleaner.

“She’d gone into cardiac arrest and passed out and never woke-up,” says her best-friend Jessica.

Experts say parents need to make it clear- inhalants can kill.

“Inhalant use, any drug use, is not tolerated, is not good, is harmful for you,” instructs Collins on what to say to your kids. “Parents should start giving these messages as early as elementary school – because again, these are the products that are in the home.”

She says that while it’s difficult to recognize, some of the signs of inhalant abuse include “a chemical odor…from your child’s breath, on your child’s clothing, paint stains…on clothing, hands, [and] on your child’s face.”

But most importantly, if you spot signs of inhalant abuse, put a stop to it- immediately.

“People need to realize that it doesn’t take doing something a hundred times for it to mess you up,” says Jessica, “like, it could be the first time you ever do it.”

What We Need To Know

• As with any other drug, talk with your child about the dangers of drug abuse – and start the conversation early. Studies show that kids start using inhalants as early as fourth grade. If you wait till they’re in middle school, it could be too late. (Marietta Collins, PhD, clinical psychologist)
• Chronic inhalant abusers show significantly higher rates of brain damage and abnormalities than cocaine abusers. Explain to your child that this is not just ‘fun and games’; these are serious drugs with serious consequences. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• These products used for inhalant abuse are inexpensive and easily accessible. Keep these products safe and locked away at home. (Marietta Collins, PhD, clinical psychologist)
• Other signs of inhalant abuse include: isolation, depression, nosebleeds, memory loss, dilated pupils, and change in behavior. (Heather Hayes, LPC, addiction counselor)
• If you think your child has been using inhalants, be open and honest with them. Talk to your child about your concerns in a way that shows you want to help. If your child is having physical symptoms, such as headaches or dizziness, take the child to a doctor. (American Academy of Family Physicians)

Resources

• National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Partnership for a Drug-Free America, New Generation of Teens Abusing Inhalants

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