New Inhalant Data From Arizona

The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission recently released Initial 2012 numbers for Navajo County youth substance abuse.

The survey is a "bi-annual opt-in survey that was taken in May 2012 by 1,363 county students, 57% in eighth grade, 23% in 10th grade, 20% in 12th grade."

For more information on the project visit their website and for full reports on all surveyed counties visit this website.

A few inhalant related notes from the study follow below:

• Navajo County is behind Arizona use in most areas except cigarette use (4.9 percent higher than state), chewing tobacco (double the state rate), inhalants (0.3 percent higher), steroids (0.2 percent higher and over the counter drugs (0.5 percent).
• Eighth grade: "Inhalant use was up by 2.6% at 12.4%, still lower than previous surveys between 2004 and 2006."
• Tenth grade: 4.3% decline in inhalant use
• Twelfth grade: "Cocaine and inhalants were down more than 3% each."
  
  

New Jersey Man Arrested After Passing Out at Work

Via Madison Patch

A 25-year-old man was arrested after being found passed out from inhaling dust cleaner.  The man was found passed out across a desk at his place of employment- a local sports shop. He was charged with, "inhaling fumes from a toxic chemical for the purpose of causing intoxication".

27 year-old Oregon Woman Accused of Huffing

 Via The News-Review

A 27 year-old woman was arrested for unlawful possession of inhalants, a misdemeanor in Oregon.  She was seen huffing outside of the Bureau of Land Management office.  Police say she huffed six canisters of dusters before they arrived.

"Roseburg police Sgt. Jeff Eichenbusch said huffing compressed air, also called “dusting,” is one of the two most common over-the-counter methods of intoxication his department encounters. The other is huffing propane, which people also do to create euphoric effects. A lot people think that because the air duster is legal to purchase, it’s safe to abuse, said Eichenbusch, adding that in rare cases huffing can cause death.

“A lot of kids don’t realize how dangerous it is,” he said."

New Inhalant Data From Monitoring the Future

Monitoring the Future's 2012 survey results were released yesterday:

From the study's press release: "Inhalant use continued its long-term gradual decline in all grades, but only the 30-day prevalence decline among 8th graders was statistically significant."

"Younger students are most likely to be using inhalants: the annual prevalence of use is 6%, 4%, and 3% in grades 8, 10, and 12, respectively—a reversal of the situation for virtually all other drugs."

For more information on Monitoring the Future, please visit their site here.

Kentucky Woman Huffing Paint Thinner Behind the Wheel

Via WLKY in Kentucky:


Earlier this week a woman was “arrested a woman on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of paint thinner.”

She was arrested at her home upon getting out of the driver’s side of the car while the car was still running. There was a wine bottle with paint thinner in the passenger seat and the police report notes she “appeared intoxicated on an unknown subject, was unsteady on her feet, had slurred speech and glassy eyes.” Later police found out that she had recently been arrested from the hospital for allegedly huffing paint thinner.

3 Car Crash After Michigan Teen Abuses Inhalants Behind the Wheel

Via WoodTV8 in Michigan:


A 19 year old woman has admitted to causing a 3 car collision after huffing computer dusters behind the wheel. Her vehicle crashed into the passenger side of another car and the two cars crashed into a third.

She also noted that it wasn’t the first time she had crashed her car after abusing inhalants behind the wheel. She indicated she would be checking into a rehabilitation facility for help.

Kentucky Woman Huffs Behind the Wheel and Car Crashes Into Subway

Via WHAS11.com in Kentucky:


A 55 year old woman crashed her car after huffing computer dusting spray behind the wheel. Her car veered off the road and into a Subway restaurant injuring two employees. The driver was charged with “DUI, failure to wear a seatbelt, having no operator's license and having no insurance.”

St Paul Man Arrested for Inhalants 2 Hours After Being Released from Jail

Via the Hastings Star Gazette in Minnesota:


A 39 year old St. Paul man was arrested in an inhalant abuse related incident a mere two hours after being released from jail.

Police responded to a report of a person huffing in a bathroom stall of a local business and found a man passed out in the stall. The police report notes he had “a can of dust remover in one hand and had apparently fallen and hit his head.” Store managers told police they have had problems with the man in the past.

Illinois Man Charged After Abusing Inhalants Behind the Wheel

Via the Beacon News in Illinois:


A 20 year old man was charged with “driving under the influence of intoxicating compounds, possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of alcohol by a minor” after police found him passed out behind the wheel in a Walmart parking lot at 2:45 am. The police report also notes the man had a can of computer dusting spray in his hand.

Arrest Warrant Issued for Michigan Man After Huffing Incident

Via the Shelby-Utica Patch in Michigan:


Earlier this month police were called to a local diner for a report of a man abusing inhalants. The police report notes the man was huffing inhalants in the restroom and shoved a man on his way out of the restaurant. A warrant for his arrest was issued.

14 Year Old UK Girl Dies After Abusing Inhalants

Via the Daily Mail in the UK:


More information was recently made available at the Coroner’s Court regarding the death of the 14 year old girl in November 2011.

Testimony revealed she had been inhaling the fumes of a deodorant can in front of her friend in her room. She reportedly had been inhaling for about 25 minutes before collapsing on her bed and rolling onto the floor. Her friend screamed for help and chillingly, according to her father “Bethany’s friend called down to us, a harrowing call , and her words still haunt me to this day. She said: “Come upstairs quick, something really bad has happened to Beth”. In pure fear I mounted the stairs three at a time and I found Bethany’s face ashen. Her eyes were as far as they could go in the back of her head. I knew we were in trouble, she was so limp.”

He administered first aid as they waited for the paramedics. She was taken to hospital where she died an hour after being found. At the inquest her father broke down into tears as he noted “It has destroyed me. No parent should have to go through this.”

The inquiry also revealed it wasn’t the first time she had tried huffing. She had learned about it a month before she died and had tried it at least twice before.

Huffing Ordinance Considered

Via the Pilot Tribune in Iowa:


The City of Lakeside is considering adopting a “huffing” substance abuse ordinance.

The article notes that in Storm Lake, “huffing, possession or purchase of substances for huffing or aiding others involved in huffing is prohibited, per an ordinance adopted earlier this summer.” It also notes that according to police reports, between August and October nine juveniles were charged with inhaling toxic substances. The Storm Lake ordinance calls for juveniles to receive substance abuse assistance.

Regarding inhalant abuse, Storm Lake’s Public Safety Director also warned "We tend to come across it more during the summer, when people are out and about. I don't believe it's diminished; it's maybe done more privately or indoors in the colder months."

20 Year Old Arrested for Huffing and Driving in Illinois

Via Beacon News in Illinois:

Last week, a young man was arrested for huffing and driving just outside of Sandwich, Illinois. The driver was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating compounds, possession of drug paraphernalia, and consumption of alcohol by a minor. Police found the driver in the parking lot of a local store, with a can of duster in his hand.

39 Year Old Man Found Huffing in Local Store Bathroom

Via Hastings Star Gazette in Minnesota:

This past week, a 39 year old St. Paul man was arrested for huffing in the bathroom of a local store. The man was found passed out in one of the stalls with an aerosol can in his hand. Managers report they have had previous problems with this man and told him he could not come into the store any longer. The criminal was arrested for trespassing.

Florida Man with History of Huffing Dies at Age 29

Via Sun Sentinel in Florida:


After spending 18 months in and out of recovery programs for inhalant abuse, a young man was found dead in his car this past Saturday in Florida. Officials found the man surrounded by a heap of aerosol cans, suggesting his death was caused by huffing. The man's past history of arrest three times in one week for inhalant abuse also aided in police investigations.

Michigan Man Cited for Huffing in Parking Lot

Via Plymouth-Canton Patch in Michigan:

On Saturday, Michigan police officials arrested a Canton man for huffing a can of spray in order to get high. Police found the man in his car, slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle and reported that the driver seemed "out of it." A can of aerosol was found in between the seats of the car.

32 Year Old Woman Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Huffing Crash

Via Times Bulletin in Ohio:

This past week a young woman in Ohio was sentenced to six years in prison due to a huffing and driving accident. The crash was fatal, and the driver was found guilty by the court on a first-degree felony account of aggravated vehicular homicide.