PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN WHAT TO DO WHEN FROM INHALANTS SOMEONE IS HUFFING • Remain calm. INHAlaNt ABuse Prevent inhalant abuse: • Keep victim calm. • Do not argue with the user! When ■ Talk to your teenagers about the dangers someone is high on inhalants, stress can of inhalants. cause the heart to stop. ■ Demonstrate safe use of medicines and • If the victim won’t wake up, is not household products. Teach children to breathing, or is having seizures, be careful – these are poisons if used the call 911. wrong way. • If there are other symptoms, or no symptoms, call Poison Control: ■ Include inhalants when you teach about 1-800-222-1222. substance abuse (drugs, alcohol,tobacco). Inhalants are poisons, pollutants, and fire TO LEARN MORE ABOUT hazards. But, they have drug-like effects. INHALANTS They can kill if used the wrong way. ■ Keep track of inhalants in your home. For a list of resources: Where are they? Are they being used up • Visit poison.org too quickly? • Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 Detect inhalant abuse: For a poison emergency, and for ■ Are large quantities of household questions about inhalants and What parents need products purchased or missing? other poisons: ■ Do you find stashes of plastic bags, smelly to know about Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Your rags, or empty containers? call is free and confidential. Experts will ■ Does your child have rashes on the face or INHALANTS help you right away, 24 hours a day. a chronic sore throat or mouth? ■ Do you smell a chemical odor on your child’s breath or clothes? National Capital Poison Center ■ Are there other signs of substance abuse? • changes in behavior, friends, grades, or grooming • changes in weight or health for no obvious reason. poison.org National Capital Poison Center poison.org Brochure development funded by the 1-800-222-1222 Virginia Department of Health 24 HOURS A DAY INHALANT ABUSE THE POISONS ARE RIGHT INHALANTS KILL UNDER YOUR NOSE… What is it? The first time, Inhalant abuse means trying to get high …and also under your sink, in your shed or or any time, by breathing in vapors, fumes, or aero- garage or workroom, in your office, and in sol sprays. These are ordinary household your yard. They are at school, in stores and could be the products – and they are poisons. at work. last time. Who does it? These ordinary, legal products are safe Usually, pre-teens and teenagers. Nearly when used according to directions. They one in five 8th graders has tried inhalants. are poisons if swallowed or sniffed, huffed, What happens? or bagged. Breathing an inhalant is breathing a poison. When? The substance goes into the bloodstream Before school. During school. After school. More than a thousand products can be right away. Then, it goes to the brain, the Nights. Weekends. abused by inhaling. Common examples heart, and other body organs. Effects may include anything in an aerosol can, be short term or permanent – or fatal. solvents, and fuels: Where? Home. A friend’s home. School. In cars. ■ Aerosol deodorant Short term effects: Just hanging out. Anywhere without Dizziness. Nausea. Headache. Confusion. supervision. ■ Air freshener Slurred speech. Lack of coordination. ■ Computer gas “duster” Passing out. Why? ■ Correction fluid In the words of one teen, Long term or permanent effects: “Because they can. Because ■ Gasoline Brain damage. Nerve damage. Kidney they’re bored. Because ■ Glue (solvent-based) damage. Liver damage. Muscle damage. they’re upset.” In short, for Bone marrow damage. Addiction, both any reason or no reason. ■ Hairspray physical and psychological. ■ Helium
How? ■ Lighters and lighter refills Any time: “Sudden Sniffing Death” Huffing. Bagging. Sniffing. can happen to anyone abusing an inhalant. Pouring a product into a ■ Markers (solvent-based) The brain loses oxygen. Stress hormones bag and breathing it in. Pouring a product flood the body. The heartbeat becomes ■ Nail polish, nail polish onto a rag or clothing and inhaling. irregular. Death follows rapidly. This can remover Putting the nozzle into the mouth and tak- happen the first time…the hundredth ing a deep breath. ■ Nitrous oxide (whipped time...any time. The body never becomes “whippets”) used to the effects of inhalants. So what? ■ Paint thinner Inhalants kill. ■ Propane Call FAST to treat a poisoning! ■ Spray paint Call FIRST to prevent a poisoning!
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