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PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN WHAT TO DO WHEN FROM SOMEONE IS HUFFING • Remain calm. ABuse Prevent inhalant abuse: • Keep victim calm. • Do not argue with user! When someone­ ■ Talk to your teenagers about the dangers is high on inhalants, stress can cause the of inhalants. 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 (, ,). TO LEARN MORE ABOUT Inhalants are poisons, pollutants, and fire INHALANTS hazards. But, they have -like effects. They can kill if used the wrong way. For a poison emergency, and for ■ Keep track of inhalants in your home. questions about inhalants and Where are they? Are they being used up other poisons: too quickly? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or log on to webPOISONCONTROL.org. Detect inhalant abuse: Poison help is free and confidential. Expert ■ Are large quantities of household help is available 24 hours a day. ­products purchased or missing? What parents need ■ Do you find stashes of plastic bags, smelly to know about rags, or empty containers? ■ Does your child have rashes on the face or INHALANTS a chronic sore throat or mouth? ■ Do you smell a chemical odor on your child’s breath or clothes? ■ Are there other signs of substance abuse? • changes in behavior, friends, grades, or grooming • changes in weight or health for no ­obvious reason

1-800-222-1222 webPOISONCONTROL.org webPOISONCONTROL.org 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 can, be short term or permanent – or fatal. ­, and fuels: Where? Home. A friend’s home. School. In cars. ■ Aerosol Short term effects: Just hanging out. Anywhere without . Nausea. Headache. Confusion. ­supervision. ■ Slurred speech. Lack of coordination. ■ Computer gas “duster” Passing out. Why? ■ In the words of one teen, Long term or permanent effects: “Because they can. Because ■ Brain damage. Nerve damage. Kidney they’re bored. Because ■ Glue (-based) ­damage. damage. Muscle damage. they’re upset.” In short, for 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. ■ (whipped time...any time. The body never becomes “whippets”) used to the effects of inhalants. So what? ■ Paint thinner Inhalants kill. ■ ■ Spray paint

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