Inhalant abuse is when someone breathes in the gases or vapors from produccts to get high. It is a dangerous activity that children can engage in as a form of drug experimentation. It is a very dangerous activity. Breathing in gases and vapors can cause great harm to the brain, nerves, kidneys, and liver. A severe reaction leading to death can occur even on the first use. Many things can happens such as choking, suffocating, or having a heart attack all of which can result in death. Just as with other substances, inhalant use can lead to abuse and older youth may even use inhalants while also abusing alcohol and other drugs, increasing the potential for severe impacts on health.
Statistics show that one out of every ten students in Maine between 6th and twelth grades have tried some form of inhalant in order to get high. As mentioned children have been known to experiment with inhalants as early as in 3rd grade. The use of inhalants peaks in Eigth and Ninth grades. There are several different forms of inhalants that are used by our youth. You can find a list of those products and other information on inhalants from this information sheet from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse.
Why do young children and teens use inhalants? There are a few factors in this including:
Inhalants are very easy to obtain. They are inexpensive or freely available in the home.
Inhalant use can be difficult to detect.
Many adults don't think of children using inhalants and do not notice.
Children don't recognize the dangers posed by inhaling the gases and vapors of the products they are using.
The effects of inhalants can ve very fast.
What can a parent do about inhalant abuse? Here are some examples of what you can do:
First things first, understand that Inhalants are Poison and are extremely dangerous to a child.
Educate yourself on the nature and dangers of inhalant abuse. Share this knowledge and information with other parents you know.
Encourage the teachers and administrators in your school to incorporate information about inhalant abuse into classroom discussions. If your school does any kind of awarenesses around substance abuse, encourage them to include inhalant abuse as well.
Be mindful of what kind of products you buy and try to avoid easily abused products. You can find a list of those products in the information sheet referenced earlier.
If your child is using a solvent-based product to help clean, make sure they are being supervised by an adult.
Pay attention to the different kinds of cleaners and products you have around the house. Try to take notice of how full they are and how much is being used over time.
If you suspect your child's behavior may be related to inhalant use, talk to them about it and ask them about inhalants. Stress to them that those products are poisons and can be very harmful to them. This is important because as mentioned one of the reasons children are attracted to inhalants is they are often ignored by adults.
Consult the Maine Office of Substance Abuse for more information on Inhalants. www.maineosa.org
