Troubled Teens Resources

Huffing used to be what the big bad wolf did to blow the three pigs’ houses down. Now it’s what drug abusing teenagers are doing to blow their life apart. It’s under the radar but apparently escalating and, as with all substance abuse, dangerous to the point of being fatal

Brain, blood, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys are just a few of the organs which undergo damage when troubled teens decide to get high by huffing. It has been indicated that huffing may precede marijuana use and can begin in late childhood or early adolescence. It’s appeal lies in it’s easy availability and instantaneous high. Little known is the fact that it is addictive with few treatment programs available to address a high rate of relapse among recovering users.

“Most parents are in the dark regarding the popularity and dangers of inhalant use. But children are quickly discovering that common household products are inexpensive to obtain, easy to hide and the easiest way to get high. According to national surveys, inhaling dangerous products is becoming one of the most widespread problems in the country. It is as popular as marijuana with young people. More than a million people used inhalants to get high just last year. By the time a student reaches the 8th grade, one in five will have used inhalants.”

Here is a list of substances commonly abused

Volatile Solvents

• Adhesives
  model airplane glue, rubber cement, household glue
• Aerosols
  spray paint, hairspray, air freshener, deodorant, fabric protector, computer keyboard cleaner
• Solvents and gases
  nail polish remover, paint thinner, type correction fluid and thinner, toxic markers, pure toluene, cigar lighter fluid, gasoline, carburetor cleaner, octane booster
• Cleaning agents
  dry cleaning fluid, spot remover, degreaser
• Food products
  vegetable cooking spray, dessert topping spray (whipped cream), whippets
• Gases
  nitrous oxide, butane, propane, helium

Anesthetics

• Anesthetic
  nitrous oxide, ether, chloroform

Nitrites

(Nitrite room odorizers)

• Amyl
  “Poppers,” “Snappers”
• Butyl
  “Rush,” “Locker room,” “Bolt,” “Climax,” also marketed in head shops as “video head cleaner”

From the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition