Teens and Hand Sanitizers

There have been numerous posts on ACE’s Inhalant Message Board regarding people inhaling hand sanitizer, but did you know there’s a new trend of teens drinking ethanol hand sanitizers to get drunk?

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), last year 622 calls were made to poison centers nationwide concerning exposure* to hand sanitizers by teens ages 13 through 19. So far this year (as of April 25th) there have already been 203 calls!
Do you know the facts?

Have you talked to a teen in your life about this issue? Please click here to check out the AAPCC’s FAQ sheet on hand sanitizer misuse and abuse.

*"Exposure" means someone has had contact with the substance in some way; for example, ingested, inhaled, absorbed by the skin or eyes, etc. Not all exposures are poisonings or overdoses

Huffing, Shoplifting, and Car Theft in Georgia

Via The Brunswick News in Georgia:

A 26-year-old man in Georgia faces charges of car theft, shoplifting, probation violation, and improper use of a substance.

Police were called to investigate a shoplifting report when they found the man inhaling from a computer duster can in his car. Police later found 25 empty cans in the young man's car.

Because the man was highly intoxicated, police took him to the hospital. Police left the man at the emergency room, and they planned on charging him with shoplifting after he received medical attention. The man fled the hospital and found an unlocked car with the keys inside. He drove away from the hospital, but crashed into the woods.

The man then attempted to escape on foot, but the police department's K-9 unit caught up with him. Police learned that the man had been on probation in another county and now faces additional charges.

Pennsylvania Man Cited with Disorderly Conduct

Via Bucks Local News in Pennsylvania:

Police in Pennsylvania were called to a Bed, Bath & Beyond due to reports that two men were behaving in "an unruly manner." When police arrived at the scene, they discovered that one of the men had two cans of duster and had been inhaling them. The man was cited with disorderly conduct.

Bermuda Releases Student Drug Survey

Via The Royal Gazette in Bermuda:

This week, Bermuda released the results of the 2011 National School Survey, which contains data on substance abuse in students (the survey can be viewed here).

The survey found that the average age of a student’s first use of inhalants was 9.3 years. The survey noted that inhalant use does decrease as students get older, but Judith Burgess does not find this comforting. Ms. Burgess is the executive director of PRIDE Bermuda (Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education). She says that the decrease in inhalant abuse could indicate that students are moving on to other drugs as they get older.

The survey also found that students cited “sensation seeking” as the main reason for trying drugs. Ms. Burgess notes, “I would say that especially with that risk factor of sensation seeking being higher than I for one estimated, they are likely seeking sensation at that young age. If they start at that age I don’t think they are just going to stop.”

Ms. Burgess has said that her organization will look at developing drug education for younger students.

Huffing in a Drive-Thru

Via The Times-Tribune in Pennsylvania:

A 29-year-old Pennsylvania man was charged with a DUI after police found him huffing from a can while in the drive-thru of a restaurant. The man has been sentenced to 60 months in Pennsylvania’s Intermediate Punishment Program, house arrest for 9 months, and a $1,500 fine.

Man Crashes Car into a Backyard after Huffing

Via The Tennessean in Tennessee:

A Tennessee man turned himself into police after abandoning his crashed vehicle.

Police found the car after it had crashed through a fence and stopped in a backyard, but the driver was not at the scene. Police suspected that huffing had led to the crash when they found recently used cans of duster in the car.

The driver turned himself the next day, and he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving. The man was released from jail on a $7,500 bond and has a court date set for May 3^rd.

Massachusetts Repeat Offender

Via the Braintree Patch in Massachusetts:

Last week, a Massachusetts man was arrested for the second time this month for “creating a disturbance” while huffing. The man had previously been arrested for huffing and harassing customers at a local store.

Most recently, the man was shouting threats at his neighbors in a condominium complex. When police arrived on the scene, they reported that they “could hear hissing sounds that they associated with huffing.” The man was semi-conscious and had a can of industrial strength duster.

The man resisted arrest, so police pepper-sprayed him. He was charged with inhaling toxic vapors and resisting arrest.

Ohio Woman Found with Burn Marks from Huffing

Via WCPO in Ohio:

A 32-year-old woman in Lockland, Ohio, was arrested for abusing harmful intoxicants this week.

Police were called to do a welfare check on the woman, and they found her drunk and with five cans of electronic duster. Police also noted that the woman “had burns on her arms from the cans.”

String of Huffing Arrests in Ohio

From The Review in Ohio:

The St. Clair Township Police have reported three separate huffing incidents in the past three weeks.

The first incident occurred when police received reports of a man behaving suspiciously after he drank something in a fast food restaurant bathroom. Police later learned that the man had been huffing from cans of brake cleaner. The man was charged with abusing harmful intoxicants.

In the second incident, police were told that a man was passed out in a parking lot. Police found the man with three cans of dust cleaner around him. The man resisted arrest, and police used a stun gun several times to subdue him.

For the third case, police found a man sitting in his car inhaling industrial strength dust spray. He was initially disoriented and unable to speak to the officers. He was charged with abusing harmful intoxicants.

The St. Clair Township police chief blames the poor economy for the recent huffing cases, saying that inhalants are cheaper than traditional drugs.