Blog Report

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Father Discovers Son Dead Near Neighbor’s Air Conditioning Unit

Via NewsOK in Oklahoma

On Friday, a 13-year-old boy was found unresponsive by his father, lying next to an air conditioning unit in his neighbor’s yard. Police say it appears the boy was inhaling refrigerant before his death. NewsOK has included the heartbreaking 911 call during the moment the father discovers his son’s body. The father thinks his son learned how to inhale refrigerant from a friend who watched a video on the internet.

Teen Huffing Causes Two-Car Crash

Via The Tennessean in Tennessee

A family travelling in a car was struck by a 19-year-old intoxicated driver on Saturday. He faces driving under the influence and huffing charges. The teenager drove off and on the roadway, crossed a lane of traffic, and then struck the family’s car. The police report states that the teen was incoherent and holding a can of cleaner after the crash.

Man Breaks Into Church, Dies From Inhaling Propane

Via Connect MidMissouri in Missouri

A church was broken into by a 41-year-old man who had vented the church’s propane tank and inhaled the expelling propane. When police arrived, the man appeared to have passed out and died. The man had been held in jail the night before on a 12 hour safe keeping for being intoxicated.

Man Caught Inhaling Spray Paint on Thanksgiving

Via WYFF 4 in South Carolina

Police received a complaint on Thanksgiving for a man who had been sitting in a parked truck for an unusual amount of time and “would intermittently yell incoherently from truck.” The man gave an odd excuse when he told police “he had been patrolling his neighborhood looking for a police impersonator and that he was parked in front of his friend's house to make sure nothing was stolen from them.” He behaved strangely while speaking to police and had a chemical smell on his breath. Inside the truck, police found a used can of silver spray paint and two plastic bags with silver paint sprayed into them. The man’s hands were also covered in silver paint. He was charged with inhaling aromatic hydrocarbons.

Second Arrest for Woman in Five Months

Via PostStar in New York

A 34-year-old woman was arrested last week for “illegally inhaling chemical vapors in an effort to get high.” Officers responded to a complaint about “a person appearing to be inhaling chemicals from a can” in a parking lot. The woman was found with a can of chemicals and charged with illegal sale or use of toxic vapors, a misdemeanor. She was arrested in June when she was hospitalized after being found “incoherent” after inhaling two cans of vapors.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Son Inhales Aerosol Duster, Has Seizure in Mother’s Driveway

Via Greenfield Patch in Wisconsin

A mother had to call 911 after she witnessed her 26-year-old son inhale from an aerosol duster in her driveway then have a seizure. Her son admitted to inhaling the duster in his car to the police. He is charged with one count of intentionally abusing a hazardous substance. If convicted, he faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Rise in Inhalant-Related Deaths in Humboldt County

Via Times-Standard in California

The increase in inhalant-related deaths in Humboldt County has driven the Coroner’s Office to advocate for more inhalant abuse awareness. Last week, in a car crash that killed the 21-year-old driver and his 20-year-old passenger, “at least 18 [empty] nitrous oxide canisters and a personalized whipped-cream dispenser -- often used to inhale the gas -- were found at the scene of [the] truck accident.”

Man Caught in Car Wash Inhaling Nitrous Oxide

Via Indiana Daily Student in Indiana

Police arrived at a car wash to find a 35-year-old man inhaling from a container in his vehicle. Authorities were called when someone noticed the man sitting “for an abnormally long time in a car wash.” Police could “reportedly see steam or smoke coming from the car.” The container was later determined to contain nitrous oxide. He was arrested on a charge of glue sniffing, a class B misdemeanor.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Update: Woman Sentenced for Helping Children Abuse Inhalants

Via The Republic in Indiana

The 18-year-old Nebraska woman from a previous post who helped two children abuse inhalants has been sentenced to one year in jail. She had been found guilty “on two counts of child abuse and two counts of aiding and abetting inhaling an intoxicant.” The woman was supervising children during an after-school program in February when she “inhaled propellants from empty whipped cream cans and a can of electronics cleaner, and helped two children inhale from the cans.”

Three-Time Convicted Inhalant Abuser

Via Middletown Journal in Ohio

A 42-year-old man was indicted by a grand jury for abusing a “harmful intoxicant’ last month. The charge is a fifth-degree felony. Police say the man had been “huffing a can of air duster and was acting erratically and suffering from the effects.” They found a can of computer duster in his vehicle. The man has two past convictions for the same offense.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Man Chased by Neighbors After Crashing Through Neighborhood

Via Fox40 in California

Paint thinner caused a 26-year-old driver to crash his car into a fence, knock over a stop sign, drive through several neighborhood yards, crash into an RV, then into a house, and finally into a tree. Neighbors were startled by the loud sounds created by the driver who did not use his brakes.

The driver was incoherent because he had been inhaling paint thinner from a plastic bag while driving. He tried to run away after the crash but neighbors chased him down before police could catch him.

Friday, November 11, 2011

1 Year Sentence for Near Fatal Car Accident

Via Lakewood Patch in Ohio

A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 13-17 months in prison for vehicular assault and felony hit and run. In July, the man was driving and distracted by his cell phone and a heated argument with his mother. He did not see a stopped car at an intersection and swerved his car to avoid it. However, he lost control and hit a gas station pump and a woman’s minivan. The distracted driver’s SUV struck and pinned the woman’s right leg, nearly severing it. A toxicology report indicated that the driver had consumed an inhalant prior to getting behind the wheel.

Since the accident, the woman has endured eight surgeries requiring a total of 31 days in the hospital at a cost more than $220,000. Her right leg will be about two inches shorter than her left.

Man Steals 42 Cans of Computer Duster

Via Idaho Statesman in Idaho

A 28-year-old man was charged with felony burglary for stealing 42 cans of computer duster from a store in July. Employees reported that the man took multiple cans and left the store without paying, then returned several times repeating the action. Police found the man behind the store with 42 empty cans. The crime of burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Oregon Park Becomes Less Family-Friendly

Via The Umpqua Post in Oregon

Residents and officials near Lions Park are becoming frustrated with the growing use of the park for drug-related activities. Drug paraphernalia and homemade weapons can be found scattered across an area that was intended to be family-friendly. Police have found paraphernalia for inhaling nitrous oxide through balloons. The police chief explained that “the park offers protection (from rain) and a dark place for drug users to hide.”

“If you inhale nitrous oxide for too long you can pass out,” said Dr. Robbie Law. “You could vomit on yourself and potentially die.” Area police are increasing their surveillance in the hopes of eliminating the criminal activity.

Growing Trend of Inhalant Abuse Among Students in Fiji

Via The Fiji Times Online in Fiji

Inhalant abuse is becoming a notable trend in student drug and substance abuse cases despite a 24% reduction in cases reported in both primary and secondary schools last year. According to a study done by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) last year, 23% of students had sniffed glue and benzene out of a total sample of 2,147 students.

"This is a growing trend among school students despite an overall decline in the percentage of drugs and substance abuse among the schooling population," said Education Officer, Talica Malani. The total number of drug and substance abuse cases reported by schools dropped from 526 cases in 2009 to 399 cases in 2010. Malani attributes the drop in reported cases, to vigorous awareness campaigns with various government departments, the police drug unit, non-governmental organizations and religious groups to create an impact on student behavior.

Nitrous Oxide Cause for Car Crash

Via North Central PA in Pennsylvania

A 21-year-old man has been charged with driving under the influence after an October car crash. The driver was allegedly inhaled nitrous oxide in the parking lot before driving. The inhalant caused him to pass out, lose control of the vehicle, hit a vehicle, and hit a light pole after driving into oncoming traffic.

Inhalant-Related Car Crash Could Have Been Fatal

Via WJBK Fox in Michigan

A man in his late twenties crashed into a home where a 4-year-old girl slept. After blacking out while inhaling computer duster, the driver drove through a homeowner’s yard, crashed through fencing, and hit a bedroom where the young girl napped. Her 3-year-old brother had been in the path of the car just minutes prior. Neither child was hurt.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Today is Give to the Max Day!

Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington is a 24 hour online giving event benefiting DC area nonprofits. ACE works hard to maintain its prevention education programs in the areas of inhalant abuse prevention, disease prevention, and poison prevention. It is through generous donations that ACE is able to maintain our programs, partnerships, and websites. Supporters of local nonprofits will have the chance to donate anytime during the 24 hours. Just use the donation widget on the right side of the page or use our fundraising page.

Thank you for your support!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Body Found in Creek, Likely Inhalant-Related Death

Via TribLive in Pennsylvania

A man with a history of inhalant abuse was found dead, lying partially submerged in a creek. There were 5-6 aerosol cans found near the 41-year-old man’s body. Although the toxicology reports are still being processed, the police chief believes inhalant abuse to be the cause. The man was charged three times in 2009 for inhalant-related offenses. He had completed one year probation earlier this year after being released from prison.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Man Does Not Learn Lesson, Caught Inhaling Solvent Again

Via NorthJersey in New Jersey

In an update to the Oct. 11 post, “Man Inhales Solvent, Home Catches Fire,” police were again called to the same house for strange odor. The same man was found inhaling a flammable solvent commonly used as starter fluid for gasoline and diesel engines in a closed room. He was not charged for the previous incident but this time was taken into custody and brought to a hospital "for medical and psychological evaluation.” He was charged with two counts of disorderly persons and one count of creating risk of widespread injury.

Paint Intoxication Leads to Violent Attack

Via NewsOK in Oklahoma

A 49-year-old homeless man was arrested for assaulting another homeless man with a nail-studded board after inhaling paint fumes. The assaulted man told the other to sober up as he caused a disturbance in the street. The intoxicated man then threw a brick through a car windshield and proceeded to attack the other man with the board, causing puncture wounds in his forearms as he tried to defend himself. When he fell to the ground, the attacker attempted to strangle him and gouge his eyes out.