Menstuff® has information on "huffing", dusting or bagging or inhaling the gases that are used to propel foods such as whipped cream or cheese out of their containers and onto crackers. . The experts want to call dusting huffing. The kids don't believe its huffing. As adults we tend to lump many things together. But it doesn't fit here. There is no chemical reaction. no strong odor. Dusting doesn't follow the huffing signals. Huffing has also been the name for inhaling freon from air conditioners.
Is Your Child or
Teen "Huffing?"
12-Year-Old dies
after huffing Freon from A/C
unit
The
Story of a Teen Girl's Huffing
Addiction
Just
a Normal High-School Boy
Death
in the Dairy Case
Availability
Leads to More Huffing Abuse
There
Oughta Be a Law
Related Issues: Talking
With Kids About Tough Issues,
Bagging,
Dusting,
Inhalants
Is
Your Child or Teen "Huffing?"
Inhalant abuse (commonly called "huffing") is the intentional inhalation of chemical vapors to attain a mental “high” or euphoric effect. A wide variety of substances, including many common household products, are abused by inhalers. The 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse revealed that the primary population of inhalant abusers is the 12 to 17 age group, followed by the 18 to 25 year old population. In 2000, 18% of eighth graders admitted having used inhalants (huffing) at least once in their lifetime.
Inhalants produce an effect that may be similar to alcohol intoxication. Initial symptoms described by abusers who were "huffing" include:
Further use can lead to the following:
Long-term inhalant abusers can suffer damaging health consequences including:
More serious consequences can include permanent damage to the brain and other organs or even death. Sudden cardiac death from fatal cardiac arrhythmias has been reported even in teen inhalant abusers. Death from huffing can occur upon the first time of use, or after prolonged inhalant abuse. Other causes of death include asphyxiation, aspiration, or suffocation.
Chronic inhalant abuse may result in serious and sometimes irreversible damage to the user's heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Brain damage may result in personality changes, diminished cognitive functioning, memory impairment, and slurred speech.
The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Medical Examiner data revealed that inhalants were involved in over 500 deaths in the United States from 1996 to 1999.
Substances commonly used by inhalant abusers fall into several categories:
Parents of teens need to be especially
vigilant about signs of inhalant abuse (huffing), since the abused
substances are simple household items and not readily identifiable as
drugs of abuse. These substances are also easily purchased and
inexpensive, making them attractive to curious teens. In addition to
signs of intoxication, parents should be warned of potential inhalant
abuse by sores and scratches around the mouth area along with the
presence of unusual odors.
Source: www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47975
12-Year-Old dies after
huffing Freon from A/C unit
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