Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

From The Baltimore Sun in Maryland

ACE in coalition with the Bowie Baysox will host an inhalant abuse awareness night next week, Wednesday July 8 at 7:05 pm at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland.

The Baysox will take on Eastern League rivals, the Harrisburg Senators as both teams muddle through conference standings. Despite facing off seven times previously this season, the final outcome remains hazy as the Baysox have come away with three solid wins and two close victories over the Senators. It clearly is “anybody’s game.”

In addition to being AA Eastern League competitors, match ups between the Baysox and Senators also elicit a much deeper-seated local rivalry. The Baysox an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and the Senators a Washington Nationals affiliate will go head-to-head next Wednesday giving Major League fans yet another opportunity to cheer on their favorite local professional team.

While fans support their teams from the stands, attendants will also have a chance to acquire critical information and resources pertaining to inhalant abuse prevention.

Please join us next Wednesday for a night of fun, entertainment, and inhalant awareness! For more information visit ACE at http://www.inhalant.org/ or the Bowie Baysox at http://www.baysox.com/.

Another Loss For Inhalants: The Philippines Shut Out Toluene

From Inquirer.net

Government efforts to ban toluene-based products in the Philippines have tightened, as the country’s chief drug agency- The Dangerous Drugs Board has extended stringent surveillance on cement products containing full concentrations of toluene; a highly addictive and dangerous chemical solvent found in gasoline, dyes, detergents, and explosives.

Agency officials are monitoring, processing, and recording all of the ingredients used in the manufacture of contact cement to “ensure that the product has an additive that would prevent it from being abused by kids and young adults.”

Inhalant abuse continues to be one of the country’s most prominent health issues with toluene based contact cement (more commonly referred to as ‘rugby’ by users) contributing the greatest threat, “drawing users for its aromatic and additive properties.”

Cement manufacturers are now required to incorporate at least 5% Mustard Oil content into their product; or risk stifling legal penalties resulting in monetary fines or incarceration.
By adding just a small amount of mustard oil to contact cement, the attractive properties of toluene are significantly reduced and replaced with unpleasant odors specific to mustard oil.

“The regulation also orders manufacturers to place the mustard oil additive on product labels, cartons, and containers;” with the goal of lowering ‘rugby’ abuse rates among adolescents.

Refocus and Reset

From Trans World News

A recently published survey conducted by The National Institutes of Health, examining drug education programs across the nation, has yielded a number of startling findings. Responses from 46,346 high school students were collected and carefully evaluated by NIH researchers who found “that while some areas of drug abuse are declining, such as alcohol, other types of abuse [seem to be] stalling or increasing- most notably inhalants.”

While the survey indicates prevailing drug use among adolescents, results can only improve on national efforts to eradicate such behaviors. Clearly, a more inhalant focused drug prevention curriculum should be incorporated into our nation’s schools to circumvent future drug abuse among teens.

Strike Out Inhalant Abuse- Maryland

ACE is teaming up with the Bowie Baysox, Trenton Thunder, and New Britain Rock Cats to raise awareness about inhalant abuse this summer through a "Strike Out Inhalant Abuse" program!

"Strike Out Inhalant Abuse” is a two-pronged community based program seeking to blend the appeal of America's pastime with the popularity of minor league baseball teams in three local communities. In these three regions ACE is working with local counselors to help them set up in-schools assemblies with appearances from local team mascots and players.

The first Maryland in-school assembly took place at J.C. Parks Elementary School in Indian Head! Thanks to the dedication and planning of Mrs. Dorothy Cole, school counselor, the program was a success! Due to her efforts, ACE and the Bowie Baysox were able to speak with students about the importance of healthy and safe decision making this summer.

If you know an elementary or middle school student in New Jersey, Maryland or Connecticut please urge them to enter into the Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Super Hero Contest!

(Mrs. Dorothy Cole takes a moment with Baysox and ACE)

Inhalants Get 'Whipped' In California

From KCRA News in Sacramento, CA

This week lawmakers from the San Francisco Bay area continue to fight for the ratification of a new bill banning the sale of Nitrous Oxide to minors throughout California. The law specifically targets the distribution of “whippets”- small containers of Nitrous Oxide, which are commonly abused and widely accessible.

Bay Area Assemblyman Tom Torkalson was first to address the bill in California’s Senate Public Committee hearing on Tuesday; attributing the growing incidence of “whippet” negligence among adolescents to their “low cost and vast availability.”

Elderly Woman Left In The ‘Dust’

From NTV News in Nebraska

Yet another life has been claimed in connection with faulty inhalant consumption. Last week an elderly woman was hit and killed by a chemically intoxicated driver, while picking fruit.

Police reports reveal that the driver- high on computer duster, lost control of his pick up truck and struck the elderly victim. A can of computer keyboard duster was found in the driver’s car along with a receipt validating its purchase; a mere 11 minutes earlier.

The incident has elicited a firestorm of community discussion prompting local drug and alcohol treatment officials to take direct action; exposing the dangerous and life threatening consequences of ‘huffing.’ Efforts have also sought to enhance parental awareness of the domestic risks associated with inhalant abuse.

Cause of Death: Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome?

From Lufkin Daily News in Texas

Additional details concerning the death of a 40 year old Lufkin, Texas man have been released. Ace first reported on the incident earlier this week, as an adult male was discovered dead inside a local repair shop with a trash bag over his head, and clutching a canister of refrigerator coolant.

Police are now able to verify that the victim was indeed ‘huffing’ at the time of his death, but are still unsure as to whether the casualty can be attributed to ‘Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome’- the immediate death following inhalant misuse.

Inhalant abuse statistics reveal that one in three inhalant related fatalities occur among first time users. While it is still unclear as to whether the victim will be included in this percentile, “his death has indefinitely become one of the 125 inhalant-related deaths reported each year, according to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.”

The victim’s former employer (and repair store owner) felt content hiring a “reformed convict” but was unaware of any lingering substance abuse issues. In a statement issued to police the shop owner disclosed that he “didn’t even realize [the victim used drugs] until he found all of the containers of [coolant that had been ‘huffed,’] not knowing people even” engaged in such behaviors.

This unforeseeable tragedy should serve to remind us all just how widespread inhalant abuse truly is. Inhalants are likely to be used and abused by any individual, regardless of gender, race, financial status, or age.

Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Program: New Jersey

Rachel Wolf & Boomer from the Trenton Thunder

ACE is teaming up with the New Jersey School Counselor Association, the Trenton Thunder, Bowie Baysox and New Britain Rock Cats to raise awareness about inhalant abuse this summer through a "Strike Out Inhalant Abuse" program!

"Strike Out Inhalant Abuse” is a two-pronged community based program seeking to blend the appeal of America's pastime with the popularity of minor league baseball teams in three local communities. In these three regions ACE is working with local counselors to help them set up in-schools assemblies with appearances from local team mascots and players.

One of the first in-school assemblies took place at Lady of Lourdes School in Milltown, NJ! A huge thank you to Jim Lukach (pictured to the right), Executive Director of the New Jersey School Counselor Association, for his dedication and leadership in bringing ACE and the Trenton Thunder together!

If you know an elementary or middle school student in New Jersey, Maryland or Connecticut please urge them to enter into the Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Super Hero Contest!

This summer "Be Tuff Don’t Huff"

With yet another summer season rapidly approaching, we here at ACE wanted to wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe summer! In addition, we invite you to share in the personal reflections of one of our active parent advocates Don Coates, who lost his beloved son to inhalants three years ago.

“Once again it is that time of year when all of our young people prepare for a summer full of happiness, joy, and plenty of activities that will keep them busy and safe from all the dangers we encounter. As you well know, summer break is a time when kids will find new things to do, try things that have no explanation, and with the economical crisis that we are all witness to must also understand there will not be as much allowance for these kids to get out and enjoy some of the things they would like. It can be depressing, the road less traveled; as even the wishes and dreams of a new road can create detours. As dreams of summer fun can be very pleasant, so too can the nightmares of the same season become our undoing.

I had a dream of life with you, and it all ended when the nightmare came true. In my heart he will always be, but inhalants took him far away from me, and when my day on earth is done, in heaven I will reunite with my lost son Brady Coates.”

Adorned with the words "Be tuff, don’t huff" and Brady´s picture, the truck serves as a warning to parents and teens that inhalants can kill. By displaying the truck throughout the community, hopefully curious onlookers will try to learn more about inhalants and make it part of their discussions.

Death Deemed Preventable

From Lufkin Daily News in Texas

Employees at a local Lufkin, TX repair and mechanics store stumbled upon the body of a former employee Monday morning, a 40 year old Lufkin man. Although Police will not officially determine the cause of death until final autopsy results are released; it is clear that the victim was actively ‘huffing’ a common type of refrigerator and air conditioning coolant.

Found with a can of coolant and “a black garbage bag over his head” investigators confidently presume the victim was inhaling the substance at the time of his death.

Police were still awaiting final autopsy results upon publication of Lufkin Daily’s original report. ACE will continue to investigate this tragic incident; providing follow up information as it becomes available.