Inhalant Abuse

The National Survey states there are 217 million Americans aged 12 years and older that have used inhalants at least once (National Institute). Inhaling a substance means that you are purposely breathing in or sniffing a substance to get high. This is a highly dangerous way of using and abusing substances. What makes inhalant abuse more dangerous is the fact that most inhalants that are used and abused are common household items. Items that are used for potential inhalant abuse are glues, plastics, cements, cleaning solutions, nail polish removers, lighter fluid, paint sprays, paint thinners, paint removers, correction fluid, hair sprays, deodorants, air fresheners, whipped cream propellants, and computer duster (Levinthal, pg. 329). Single dosing of inhaling a substance can be damaging.
Inhalant abuse ranks 4th highest in drug experimentation among 11 to 13 years of age (National Institute). Inhaling a substance is frequently the 1st experience with a psychoactive drug, especially among the children and adolescent, this is why it is also known as a gateway drug. If an individual starts abusing inhalants, it could create the disastrous pathway of the individual abusing other drugs (National Institute).
There are at least 90% of parents that are blind to the fact that their child is actually abusing or inhaling chemicals (Alliance). At www.peopleagaininhalants.com, this website suggests some signs for parents to watch for in regards to possibly inhalant use and abuse:
*Change of behavior
*Signs of paint or other products where there wouldn't usually be like face lips, nose or fingers.
*Uncoordinated physical symptoms
*More chronic users may exhibit hallucinations, anxiety, excitability, irritability, restlessness and anger.
Inhaling a substance that is very dangerous for any individual. The fact is though there are young children are starting out this way and it could very easily end their lives. It is unusual for someone who is huffing to test positive for inhalants because it metabolizes very fast in body (Alliance). Inhalants are no different than any other substance that is abused, it damages your body with every use. Inhalant use and abuse can cause headaches and dizziness, light sensitivity, reddened eyes, double vision, ringing in the ears, sneezing and sniffling, coughing, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, chest pains, muscle aches, and unsteady muscle coordination (Levinthal, pg. 330). Inhalant abuse can cause brain bleeding in some areas (Alliance). Inhalants can disrupt heart rhythms and cause death from cardiac arrest (National Institute). Inhalants regular abuse can cause lower oxygen levels enough to cause suffocation (National Institute). Regular abuse of inhalants can result in serious harm of brain, heart, kidneys and liver (National Institute). There are specific ingredients in different things of inhalants that can cause different and possibly deadly consequences. Acetone can cause damage to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (Levinthal, pg. 331). Benzene has been associated with cancer-producing disorders (Levinthal, pg. 331). Hexane has been associated with peripheral nerve damage (Levinthal, pg. 331).
Most individuals including the young are not aware of any of these types of problems. They have not been educated on the signs of inhalant abuse and also the deadly consequences. Some families don't even know that their child is abusing inhalants until it is too late. There is more education that parents need to tell their children. There is more education that needs to be taught to the children at school. When I was in school, there was nothing ever said about inhalants. When my younger brother was in school he was in the DARE program and it only consisted of teaching him the effects of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. I didn't know that there was such a high number of individuals that have used inhalants to get high until I read the chapter in the book and looked up online at different websites. I didn't know what it could cause and what it has caused until I read the devasting stories of individuals who have lost their children due to inhalant abuse and they didn't even know that they was using any types of substances. Parents and educators need to go onto www.peopleagainstinhalants.com and get the education kit to educate their children about the use and abuse of inhalants and what it can do to their bodies, even after one use. We all as parents, family members, teachers, and educators need to start children at a very young age about the significant health problems that could be caused by inhaling a substance even once.

REFERENCES

Alliance for Consumer Education. (2015). People against Inhalants Network (PAIN). Accessed on October 29, 2015 from www.peopleagainstinhalants.com

Levinthal, Charles. (2014). Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Pg. 329-331.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2012). Inhalants. Accessed on October 29, 2015 from www.drugabuse.gov.