Blog Report

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Kentucky and NIPAW

The Bowling Green Daily News, in anticipation of NIPAW (National Inhalant and Poisons Awareness Week), ran a story about inhalant abuse yesterday. In studies, one in four Kentucky youths have tried inhalants at some point in their lives. Amy Hutchinson, the coordinator of the Monroe County Alliance for Inhalant Prevention, stated that
“Right now our goal is to do all we can to educate parents and students about the harmful and even deadly effects the poisons in these products can have on the brain and body. It’s a serious cause for concern that not many people know about. Plus it is considered a ‘gateway’ drug, which means that it often leads to the use of illegal drugs."

On teaching parents about inhalant abuse in their children:
"We encourage parents to educate themselves; to learn what is being used and how these products are being used. They need know what is readily available in their own homes. We also urge them to focus on safety when they talk to their kids. Inhalants are not drugs. They are poisons and toxins and should be described as such. Users can die the first, 10th or 100th time a product is misused as an inhalant. Even if they’ve done it before, there is no way to know how the next time will affect them.”
Monroe County is one of two counties in Kentucky that has received federal funding for its willingness to address the problem of inhalant abuse.

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