ParentLine

Dear ParentLine, What is “huffing?”  I hear it appeals to really young kids who are way too young to get their hands on "real" drugs, because they can get “high” from substances that are available at the grocery or hardware store that are easily found in our own home!  My wife and I think we have done everything we can to teach our 13-yr-old son to “Just Say No,” but we don’t know anything about “huffing!”  What is it?  What are the dangers?  What do we need to know?  Signed, Huff-not in Hillsborough County

Everything parents need to know about huffing fits in one statement. “Anytime a person uses inhalants, the result can be a fatal episode,” warns Harvey Weiss, executive director, National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. “Young people aren’t aware of unintended consequences of inhalant use.”

Got it? Inhalant use is lethal.  Inhalants are also all over your house and in your child’s school.  In fact, you probably have a number of the products kids “huff” under the kitchen sink or in the basement.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that parents are appropriately concerned about illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD but often ignore the dangers posed to their children from common household products that contain volatile solvents or aerosols such as glues, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, spray paints, canned whipped cream, and cleaning fluids.

The NIDA’s survey, Monitoring The Future (2003), reports that more than 22.9 million Americans have abused inhalants at least once in their lives.  The same study shows that 17.3 percent of eighth graders have abused inhalants and about three percent of US children have tried inhalants by the time they reach fourth grade.  Young people inhale the vapors from these sources in search of quick intoxication without being aware of the dangers of inhalant use.

ParentLine urges parents to get educated. Find out about inhalants before your children do. The week of March 18-24 marks NIPC’s 14^th annual National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week, an education campaign to help reduce inhalant use. Go online and look under "huffing." The information you find may save your child’s life.  The following information is taken from NIPC’s site at www.inhalants.org

What are the health dangers of “huffing?”

· Brain damage:  Inhalants dissolve myelin sheath that surrounds the brain cells, resulting in cell death. In the cerebral cortex, cellular death causes memory loss, permanent personality changes and learning disabilities. In the cerebellum, damage causes a loss of coordination and slurred speech.  Chronic huffers have tremors and shake violently.

• Heart:  Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSD) may occur because inhalants make the heart beat irregularly and can cause cardiac arrest.

• The kidneys, liver, bone marrow and other organs are also affected.  Results similar to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may also occur when inhalants are used during pregnancy. 

Why inhalants are being used?   The supply is almost inexhaustible--over 1,000 products can be abused.  Products are free, inexpensive, and are universally available.  Laws prohibiting sale of products to minors are difficult to enforce; legal consequences of use are minimal.  No complex paraphernalia are necessary to abuse products.  Youth do not have to go to a "dealer" to obtain products.  Use can occur anywhere and is difficult to detect.  Products are easy to conceal.  Targeted education and awareness programs are not available in many schools and communities.  Adults are generally not aware of the problem and tend to deny that their children may be sniffing or huffing.  Young people are generally unaware of the consequences of use.

What can I do if someone I know is huffing and appears to be in a state of   crisis?  If someone you know is huffing, the best thing to do is remain calm and seek help.  Agitation may cause the huffer to become violent, experience hallucinations or suffer heart dysfunction, which can cause Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome.  Make sure the room is well -ventilated and call EMS.  If the person is not breathing, administer CPR.  Once recovered, the individual should seek professional treatment and counseling.

Can inhalant use be treated? Treatment facilities for inhalant users are rare and difficult to find.  Users suffer a high rate of relapse, and require thirty to forty days or more of detoxification.  Users suffer withdrawal symptoms, which can include hallucinations, nausea, excessive sweating, hand tremors, muscle cramps, headaches, chills and delirium tremens.  Follow-up treatment is very important.  If you or someone you know is seeking help for inhalant abuse, you can contact the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition at 1-800-269-4237 for information on treatment centers and general information on inhalants.

What should I tell my child or students about inhalants?  It is never too early to teach your children about the dangers of inhalants.  Don’t just say, “not my kid.”  Inhalant use starts as early as elementary school and is considered a gateway to further substance abuse.  Parents often remain ignorant of inhalant use or do not educate their children until it is too late.  Inhalants are not drugs.  They are poisons and toxins and should be discussed as such. 

Directly related to this important issue of youth substance abuse is a series of conferences presented this February by Child and Family Services. For further information, visit www.cfsnh.org. Conferences for professionals who work with children, and free community forums for parents, will happen throughout the state.       

For additional information:   

In New Hampshire:  Child and Family Services' Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment program 1-800-640-6486. 

National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, 1-800-269-4237 or 512-480-8953.

 

ParentLine is a free and confidential service of Child and Family Services, a statewide, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the well-being of children and families.  Call ParentLine, 1-800-640-6486;  write ParentLine, c/o Child and Family Services, P.O. Box 448, Manchester, NH; email parentline@cfsnh.org or visit our website at www.cfsnh.org.