Blog Report

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Sniffing Out Trouble: Inhalants Can Do Permanent Damage

Via yougotkids.com

The article informs parents of the household products their kids may be using to get high.

According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, this includes adhesives like model airplane glue and rubber cement; aerosols, including spray paint, air freshener, deodorant and computer keyboard cleaners; solvents and gases, like toxic markers, paint thinner and nail polish remover; cleaning agents like spot remover and degreaser; even food products like cooking spray and whipped dessert topping. Most are cheap and easy for kids to buy over the counter.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Indiana Man Arrested for Huffing Gasoline on Porch


  Via thestarpress.com in Indiana

A 40 year old man was arrested on May 16th after police found him huffing gasoline fumes to get high. He was charged with “neglect of a dependent and inhaling toxic vapors.”

City Takes a Stand on Inhalants in Idaho

Via KMVT.com

The report states, "The new amendment would prohibit the possession of inhalants with the intent to inhale, possession of paraphernalia for the inhalation of inhalants, and also prohibits being present at a place where inhalants are used or held for use.

The new code also refers to not only synthetic drugs but also common everyday inhalants such as spray paints, dust–off and gasoline.

The council approved the amendment unanimously with a 5 to nothing vote."

Thank you to Twin Falls, Idaho for taking a stance on Inhalant Abuse! 

Georgia Teens Burn Down Historic Mill After Abusing Inhalants

Via WSBTV.com

On May 12th, four males ages 17-20, set fire to 100 year-old cotton mill after huffing computer dusting spray.

The report states, "They were inhaling the air sprayer that you clean your computer with and getting high, and they set three or four fires inside the building."

The teens will be charged with second-degree arson and interference with government property.

Michigan Teen Crashes Car into Security Guard After Using Inhalants Behind the Wheel

 Via LivingstonDaily.com

A 16 year-old male student is being charged after an inhalant related crash. On May 16th, the teen allegedly “squirted a cleaning product from a spray can onto a rag and then took a deep sniff before passing out while driving” in the school’s parking lot.


The car then hit a 52 year-old security guard, who was “thrown into the air, landing on her head while the car continued through the intersection, over a curb and through a field” before it came to a stop after sideswiping a tree. It is reported the car was traveling at 45 mph.

The police report notes that the driver regained consciousness before instructing the 15 year-old passenger to lie to police and tell them the driver lost control of the car in an attempt to retrieve his cell phone. The 15 year –old allegedly provided the product that was huffed and admitted to lying to police.

Friday, May 25, 2012

‘Drugstore’ Project Meant As Deterrent

Via Oakdaleleader.com in California

Check out what this town is doing to inform kids of the dangers of drug abuse!

“A prevention education program should be given to children at least two, if not three, years before they’re exposed to drugs, before students typically encounter peer pressure to abuse substances or join a gang,” said Kristi Rapinchuk, Director of Categorical Programs for the Oakdale Joint Unified School District

Thank you Oakdale for your dedication to drug prevention education!

Oregon Woman Crashes Into House, Punches Cop

Via KPIC.com in Oregon:

A 27 year-old woman was arrested after crashing her car into a house and then punching a police officer in the face, breaking his nose.

The officer saw the crash and approached the vehicle whereupon the driver resisted arrest and assaulted the officer. Neighbors gave police the cans they say she threw from her car. She was charged with “driving under the influence of inhalants, failure to perform the duties of a driver, and reckless driving."

Texas Teen Sets Fire to House After Huffing Lighter Fluid

Via KTSM News 9 in Texas

An 18 year-old male has been charged with negligent arson after setting fire to an abandoned house. According to police, he and two other teens were getting high off lighter fluid when one person "soaked a rag with lighter fluid, set it on fire and threw it on a pile of wood in the backyard."

Oklahoma Man Crashes Car After Huffing Behind the Wheel

Via NewsOK in Oklahoma

Earlier this month a 23 year-old man was arrested after an inhalant related crash.

The officer was driving when he noticed a car stopped at a green light. The driver pulled into a gas station and then lurched forward crashing into a concrete post. When the officer approached the car he found the man huffing from a can of computer dusting spray.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Twenty Year-Old Wisconsin Man Found Huffing Outside Restaurant

Via Brookfield Patch in Wisconsin

Last Monday, a twenty year old Wisconsin man was charged with one count of possession with intent to abuse a hazardous substance. The report notes on March 5th, police found the man sitting outside a restaurant acting disoriented. When they searched him they found two cans of computer dusting spray.

Lodi Doctor Accused Of Getting High While Treating Patients

Via CBS Sacramento

A 56 year-old experienced obstetrician in California. was suspended after a janitor in his office found "dozens of inhalants in the doctor’s trash can, noticed the doctor had red, swollen lips, and found a $400 receipt for nail polish remover."

During the medical board investigation the doctor admitted he had used inhalants, most commonly  "poppers," chemicals used to clean video cassette players.

Drug Testing in Schools

Could random drug testing lead to a higher rate of inhalant abuse? We'd love to hear your thoughts/concerns!

At its meeting Monday night, District 308 School Board members voted unanimously in favor of a program that would provide random testing of students who have a parking pass, or who participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs.

The move makes the school the sixth Mid-Illini Conference high school to put a random drug-testing program into place — leaving only Pekin and Limestone. However, we think such a policy in unfair and unnecessary. And it might even put students’ safety in jeopardy.

Alcohol and hard drugs such as cocaine, Ecstasy, meth, heroin, PCP and LSD metabolize much faster than marijuana, and are therefore in one’s system for a far shorter time than pot — ranging from a few hours to a few days, whereas cannabis can be detected even weeks after use. 

So a teen who is aware that drug testing is a possibility may decide it is less risky to do some coke on a Friday night, knowing he has a much better shot at passing a drug test than he would if he smoked a joint. 
Similarly, the policy won’t prohibit drinking on the weekend — even though, in many ways, marijuana is considered less harmful than alcohol.

In the U.S. News & World Report article “5 Ways Teens Might Cheat on Drug Tests — and How to Catch Them,” Sharon Levy, a pediatrician and director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, said teens may also opt for dangerous drugs that are virtually undetectable on drug tests, such as inhalants. 

“You don’t excrete [inhalants] in your urine,” she said, but “inhaling is acutely more dangerous than marijuana.”

In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse says that otherwise healthy youth can fall victim to a deadly heart problem called “sudden sniffing death” as a result of inhalant use. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Students Huffing on School Bus in Arizona

Via the Green Valley News and Sun in Arizona:

Earlier this month a school bus surveillance tape caught two high school students huffing computer dusting spray. One student was arrested on “suspicion of having a vapor-releasing substance containing a toxic substance” and the report notes at least two other high school students were involved.

Whippets Cause of California Crash

Via Find My Accident:

A 34 year-old male in California driver smashed his car into a utility pole in an alleged inhalant abuse related crash. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and police found cartridges of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “whippets” at the scene.

Huffing Computer Dusting Spray in Wisconsin

Via the Brookfield Patch in Wisconsin:

A 20 year-old man has been charged with “one count of possession with intent to abuse a hazardous substance” after an inhalant abuse related incident in March.

Police responded to a call for a man sitting on a railroad tie outside a restaurant acting disoriented. When he was searched, police found two cans of computer dusting spray on him. The man admitted to huffing from the cans to get high.

Woman Huffing in Front of Son in Wisconsin Bathroom

Via the Leader-Telegram in Wisconsin:

A 26 year-old woman pleaded guilty to a “misdemeanor charge of intentionally abusing a hazardous substance” after she had been found huffing in a Wal-Mart bathroom in front of her son.

Upon hearing the child’s cries, a concerned shopper forced herself into the stall and took the can away from the woman. Police responded and she admitted to inhaling from the product.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Woman Found Huffing in Carport In Ohio

Via the Strongsville Patch in Ohio:

Police responded to a call regarding a woman huffing in a carport on May 10th. Police found a 27 year-old woman who was “conscious but "out of it.” The police report notes she had been huffing industrial aerosol. She refused an ambulance to the hospital and was arresyed and charged with drug abuse.

New Jersey Teen Crashes Car Into Fence After Huffing

Via the Long Valley Patch in New Jersey:

A 17 year-old female has been charged with “driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to keep right, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident” an inhalant related crash.

She admits she was huffing behind the wheel when her car hit a fence, drove across a lawn, struck a tree and then proceeded back onto a road. Police found the driver on a nearby road and an aerosol can within the vicinity of the car. She was brought to the station where evaluations concluded she had been under the influence while driving.

Girls Huffing Propane Burned in Explosion

Via CTV Regina in Canada:

Two 13-year olds and a 12 year old girl are recovering after suffering burns in a propane explosion. The girls had been huffing propane in a car in Saskatchewan, Canada when one of them lit a cigarette.

The article notes the explosion “felt like a semi had rumbled by” and that it “blew out the car's windows, and sprayed debris five metres away.” It also quotes a local staff sergeant who remarks he “saw the car. The girls are pretty lucky they weren't hurt worse.”

Minnesota Man Arrested After Huffing From Air Conditioning Unit

Via Sun This Week in Minnesota:

A 37-year old man who last fall had been charged with felony theft plead guilty last month in court. The man is accused of inhaling refrigerant from his neighbors’ air conditioners to get high. The theft is considered a felony because the estimated repair costs total nearly $1,800.

Police responded to a call regarding a trespasser and found the man unconscious by the air conditioner. When he came to the man admitted he had been huffing refrigerant from the unit. The next night police responded to a call for trespassing and once again found the man. Five residents have been affected and the police report notes that the man was hospitalized on at least two occasions after huffing refrigerant.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Guest Post: Mother's Day & MADD

In Honor of Mother's Day, today's guest post comes from MADD.

Mother’s Day is a very important holiday at MADD, since we were founded by a mother who lost her daughter to drunk driving. This Mother’s Day, we honor all of the victims who have lost a mother or a child to drunk or drugged driving.

For more than 30 years, MADD has worked hard to put an end to drunk driving. Study after study shows what happens when alcohol and driving are mixed—tragedy. But while drunk driving remains one of the primary threats on America’s roadways, alcohol isn’t the only drug that causes heartbreak on our roadways. We are also seeing a growing trend of drugged driving crashes, including illicit drugs, prescriptions drugs (when not used properly) and inhalants. Although the substances are different, the consequences are the same—needless deaths and injuries.

MADD provides support to victims and survivors of drunk and drugged driving crashes. If you are a victim or survivor, call MADD's 24/7 Victim/Survivor Support Line at 1-877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435) to speak with a victim advocate at no cost, or send us an email at victims@madd.org.

The Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE) is looking forward to working more closely with MADD on the issue of impaired driving.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Homeless Man Arrested After Huffing Compressed Gas in Bathroom

Via 4029 TV in Arkansas:

A 21 year-old man was arrested after he was caught huffing compressed gas inside a Walmart bathroom.

Police tried to assist the man but he appeared to be a stupor and didn’t respond. He quickly became combative, resisting arrest. After being checked by paramedics he was taken to the detention center and charged with “inhaling certain intoxicating compounds, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.”

Montana Man Assaults Officers After Huffing Gas

Via the Helena Independent Record:

A 20 year-old man became violent after huffing compressed gas and is now facing felony charges of assault as a result.

The man was taken into custody on a misdemeanor charge of possession of an intoxicating substance. He kicked one of the detention officers and was placed in a cell where he tried to “choke himself with part of the smock he was wearing and then with a string from the mattress.” He continued to fight the officers, sending one to the hospital to be treated for injuries.

Connecticut Driver Crashes Car After Huffing Poppers

Via the Vernon Patch in Connecticut:

A 35 year old man has been charged with an inhalant related car accident. The police report notes the driver had been “huffing poppers” (inhaling amyl nitrate) just before leaving a store and getting behind the wheel.

Police responded to a report of a car crash but before they could respond the driver fled the scene. Additional 911 calls came in regarding a second crash- the car had “left the southbound lanes, crossed over both northbound lanes and slammed into a bank’s sign.” Police found the driver “injured but walking outside the vehicle.”



12 year old New Zealand Boy Dead After Huffing Butane

Via the Otago Daily Times in New Zealand:

This past weekend a 12 year old boy was found dead after he and a group of youths had been inhaling butane from a canister. The article notes that “attempts to resuscitate the boy were unsuccessful and he died at the scene.” The post-mortem was set to take place this week.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Woman Crashes Car, Tries to Hide Duster

Via nwahomepage.com in Arkansas:

Police believe that a woman was huffing when she lost control of her vehicle and hit another car.

According to witnesses, the woman was driving very fast and “crossed the median and t-boned a pickup truck.” The truck hit a storefront before landing on its side.

According to police, the driver attempted to hide the can of duster by handing it to a witness.

3 Teens Injured after Crash

Via the Beatrice Daily Sun in Nebraska:

A 17-year-old boy and his two passengers were hospitalized after a car crash Saturday night.

Police learned that the teenager was huffing when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a mall sign. The teenager and his 14-year-old brother were taken to the hospital in an ambulance. A 17-year-old who was sitting in the passenger's seat was taken to the hospital in a helicopter.

The teen will likely face criminal charges, including willful reckless driving and use of inhalants. A local police officer observed, "People are wondering what these people are thinking when they do stuff like this. And that's just the thing--they're not thinking. And people get killed when others don't think."

Multiple Injuries after Car Crash

Via the Daily Herald in Illinois:

An Illinois teenager faces a felony intoxicated driving charge after a car crash Saturday night.

According to police, the young woman was huffing from an aerosol can while driving, which caused her to pass out. Her car then crossed into oncoming traffic, where it struck another car and caused it to flip on its side.

The two passengers in the car she hit were taken to a nearby hospital. One of them, an 84-year-old woman, was found to have multiple fractures and a ruptured spleen. There were two other young women in the teenager's car, and they were also transported to the hospital.

The teenager admitted to police that she was huffing immediately before the crash. She has been charged with aggravating driving under the influence, improper lane usage, and no proof of insurance.