While there are a number of anti-drug campaigns that focus on illegal drug use, many people fail to put the same effort into the prevention of huffing, sniffing, or inhaling common household agents to get high. A new study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) just presented ground breaking news, indicating that 12-year-old kids are more likely to use common household substances to get high, than they are to use cigarettes or marijuana. However, huffing dangerous and can even can cause instant death.
A survey by the SAMHSA that was administered Nationally between 2006 and 2008 suggests that 7% of all 12-year-olds have used inhalants to get high. It's alarming that this is such a young age. A number of children in the 11-13 year old age group don't understand the risks that are involved with inhaling. They can become addicted, damage brain tissue, or even die of asphyxiation or cardiac arrest. Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome can even occur during a child's first attempt at huffing. Some of these young kids believe that there is no real danger behind using inhalants to get high, as they do not consider them to be a “real drug.”
Huffing abuse can be difficult to identify in young kids. While sometimes a change in friends can indicate the potential for drug abuse, it seem that even the “good kids” are getting into trouble with huffing. Also, the inhalants used for getting high are generally common household products, so there is often little evidence that indicates the need for concern. Nail polish, shoe polish, air freshener, aerosol computer cleaner, hair spray, glue, and various house cleaning products are among the more common substances being abused.
The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is dedicating a week to the prevention of huffing that begins March 14th 2010. Awareness needs to be made about the dangers of teenage inhalant use, orhuffing, to young age groups. Be sure to talk to your kids about huffing, before they are exposed to it by peers.
