Louisiana Woman Caught Huffing in High School Parking Lot

Via WAFB in Louisiana:

A 21 year old woman was recently arrested after she was found huffing computer duster in the parking lot of a local high school. A deputy found her in her car “slumped over and twitching repeatedly” with a can of computer duster in her hand. 

The driver admitted she had been huffing and four more empty cans of duster were found in the car. She noted that two of those dusters were from the previous evening. She was charged with Abuse of Toxic Vapors, a misdemeanor offense.

Nebraska Teen Cited for Huffing at School

Via the Freemont Tribune in Nebraska


Earlier this week a 16 year old male was cited after he was allegedly hugging at a high school. Police responded to a tip and cited the boy for “inhaling an intoxicating substance.”

17 Year Old Girl Killed in Vermont by Huffing Driver

Via Burlington Free Press in Vermont:

On Thursday, September 27^th, a Rutland High School student was killed by a driver under the influence of inhalants. As she climbed into her father’s vehicle after leaving work for the day, the young girl was crushed in between the two cars. The impact left her with multiple serious injuries ultimately leading to her death. Her father was also injured, as well as the two passengers in the offender’s vehicle. Police report finding alcohol and two aerosol cans in the bushes near by the crash, determined to have come from the driver of the speeding car.

The driver is facing one count of manslaughter, and “three counts of grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with serious bodily injury.” The arraignment will take place on Friday, September 28^th.

There has been an outpouring of support from the Rutland High School community, from school administrators, parents, and students alike. The day after the crash the students communicated to one another to wear white the next day out of respect for their classmate, in addition to a candle light vigil to be held the same night. School psychologists and teachers have also been asked to assist students with their grief.

 

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.

Man Found Dead on Soccer Field after Huffing

Via KOB in New Mexico:

Police in Albuquerque found the body of a 43-year-old man on a high school soccer field.

The school’s resource officer said the man appeared to be huffing computer duster. The man then fell down, but he was still breathing. Shortly after the resource officer called an ambulance, the man stopped breathing. A representative from the Office of the Medical Investigator picked up the body.

Inhalant Abuse Common Amongst Youth in Indianan County

In a study done by by the Community Research and Service Center at Valparaiso University for Porter County, it was found that "1.4 percent of sixth graders reported monthly use of inhalants, 5.9 percent of 10th graders did, and 1.3 percent of 12th graders did; on the other hand, 2.5 percent of sixth graders reported using inhalants at least once, 10.5 percent of eighth graders did, and 12.4 percent of 12th graders did."

This study was done as an assessment to see what contributing factors may cause youth to involve themselves in risky behavior later in life.

Via chestertontribune.com in Chesterton, IN

New Inhalant Data from Illinois

Via the Canton Daily Ledger in Illinois:

The 2010 Illinois Youth Survey data for both Ingersoll Middle School and Canton High School has been released. In both cases, 8% of students report they have used inhalants in the past year. The article also notes that for local high school seniors, the 2010 survey found that 5% had used inhalants.

California Students Participate in Voluntary Drug Testing Program

From Glendale News Press (April 14) :

Two California high schools have started a pilot drug testing program after concerns over their students extracurricular activities. The program, which is voluntary, has attracted nearly 500 participants in grades 9-12 of 2,946 notices sent to parents. School officials say students who test positive for controlled substances will not be penalized but hinted the results will inform how administrators respond.

If successful, the program may be rolled out districtwide, “The numbers that we’ve seen at [two high schools] in drugs and alcohol hasn’t been that alarming for us to do that yet, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do it districtwide. I’m open to it,” school board Vice President said.

Announced in December, nearly 50%, or 1,444, letters were returned to the high schools with 473 students deciding to participate. The schools initiated the pilot program after it was found that 38 suspensions were related to the abuse of controlled substances. In various cases students were discovered abusing inhalants and illicit drugs.

“The school is a microcosm of the community, and we want to make sure we are doing our part to assist the community and eradicating the problem,” the Deputy Superintendent said.

School Passes Random Contraband Search

From the Springfield News-Sun:

Police officers and their canine partners locked down an Ohio school for ninety minutes to search for drugs and contraband Wednesday morning. K-9 dogs suspected nearly 20 lockers contained drug or weapon residue. A subsequent search yielded neither but highlighted the administration's efforts to keep the school safe.

School Superintendent David Estrop said, “I know that the use of prescriptions [sic] and inhalants is increasing in popularity among some of the students,”. He continued, “Obviously that’s a concern. We’re going to continue to look for tools that we can use to address that.”

Teen Cited for Huffing at School

From the Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska

Police in Lincoln, Nebraska have cited a 16 year old female on suspicion of huffing at school.

Last Wednesday afternoon, a health technician noticed the girl huffing from a canister in the school’s bathroom. When police reported to the room they found a can of computer dusting spray behind the toilet.

Alarmingly, police also noted that the teen ended up in the hospital in June for huffing in a grocery store bathroom.

Refocus and Reset

From Trans World News

A recently published survey conducted by The National Institutes of Health, examining drug education programs across the nation, has yielded a number of startling findings. Responses from 46,346 high school students were collected and carefully evaluated by NIH researchers who found “that while some areas of drug abuse are declining, such as alcohol, other types of abuse [seem to be] stalling or increasing- most notably inhalants.”

While the survey indicates prevailing drug use among adolescents, results can only improve on national efforts to eradicate such behaviors. Clearly, a more inhalant focused drug prevention curriculum should be incorporated into our nation’s schools to circumvent future drug abuse among teens.

Thank you Bowie High School

Also in Maryland, Bowie High School is displaying the following message on their outdoor marquee in from of the school. A thank you goes out to Bowie High as well!

Four Teens Crash Car After Huffing During Lunch Break

From LocalNews8.com in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Yesterday afternoon, four high school students crashed their car into a utility pole after huffing computer dusting spray during their lunch break.

The article notes that “one student suffered a head laceration” and that the “female driver is being charged with driving under the influence and all four students might face additional charges for huffing fumes.”

14 Middle Schoolers Caught Huffing in Kansas

From KSN-TV in Wichita, Kansas

14 students were caught “huffing computer keyboard cleaner in the boys and girls bathroom and on the school bus last month.”

The article also reports that “one student passed out and another was examined by a school nurse.”

Two of the students are 14-years old and will face charges of abuse of toxic vapors. The other 12 students are younger than 14-years old so “instead of being charged, they will attend meetings to educate them on the effects of huffing.”

5 Teens Huffing on School Bus

From the Kingman Daily Miner in Arizona:

A school bus driver caught 5 male students huffing on the bus and notified school administrators. The school then contacted both the parents and the Sheriff's Office.

"The Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District responded at 9 a.m. and treated the students. Three of the five were immediately taken with parental permission to the hospital as a precautionary measure. A fourth boy was transported by his parent, and eventually all five were treated at the hospital.”

Survey in Erie Shows Inhalant Use Up

The Civic Institute and Erie County Health Department in Pennsylvania just released the results of a county-wide survey of middle and high schoolers yesterday.

The creators of the study were concerned about accurate results, so Amy Eisert, the director of the Civic Institute, came up with a solution: "We included trick questions in the survey. One of them was that we listed a make-believe drug and asked students if they ever used it. If they said yes, we tossed out their survey."

Some highlights:

• The number of students who gambled in the last year was down, from 35% two years ago to 29%.
• Students who smoked in the last thirty days declined from 12.4% to 11.5%.
• Binge drinking and marijuana usage also decreased.

However, inhalant usage increased 1%.

The superintendent of Erie Schools, Jim Barker, was not surprised.

He says that the survey "mirrors what's happening in the state and across the nation," and that the report presented "clear reasons why schools, community agencies and parents have to work together" to prevent students from using drugs or alcohol.

Charlotte Berringer, the director of community health for the county Health Department, believes that "reports like this are invaluable because agencies who apply for funding need to show good, hard data. This report will help us put in evidence-based programming to deal with some of these issues."

Hopefully inhalant abuse will be addressed and more education provided in Erie County schools.

From GoErie.com.

Is Your Child in Trouble?

This article from the American Chronicle by Genae-Valecia Hinesman lists and details several signs that parents should watch out for, as they may indicate problems in your child's life. Many of these signals are also applicable for inhalant abuse, but this is a great article to read for any parent.

1. Erratic Behavior

"As young people carve out their own individuality separate from that of their parents´, and seek an answer to the proverbial question, "Who AM I?" they could clash more frequently with those around them. They may be happy one minute and sullen the next. Even this is normal. However, if your child starts reacting violently, either at home or at school, clearly something is seriously wrong."

2. Loss of Coordination, Glazed Eyes, Slurred Speech

"Without question, only two things can explain these symptoms. The first is that the person in question has suffered a stroke or a seizure. The second is that this person is inebriated. Both situations require immediate action. If your child is intoxicated, your first duty is to keep them from leaving the house until sober, for their own safety and the safety of others.

Once they are coherent, find out what they were taking and where they obtained it. If they were found unconscious, and taken to a hospital, medical testing will be able to provide a toxicology report. Encourage them to seek help, if addicted, and at least undergo counseling to learn how to avoid future dependency. Help in any way you can, but let them know that they must want to help themselves, in order to successfully change for the better."

3. Persistant Sadness and Withdrawel from Others

"Any child showing these signs for more than two weeks without interruption is clearly depressed. A change in eating habits and/or grooming has probably also been noticed. If so, something, or a combination of things, has triggered these changes. Your job is to find out what."

4. Honor Student to Dropout

"If your consistently top-notch student suddenly loses interest in school with grades in two or more classes plummeting, take heed! Straight A´s simply don´t turn into D´s overnight. Sit down with him or her and find out what´s happening in your child´s life.

Whatever it happens to be, let him or her know that you´re willing not only to help, but to listen as well. Refuse to accept "Leave me alone!" or "Nothing!" as acceptable answers. If they won´t talk to you, find another trusted adult with whom they will talk. Seek professional help if they need it."

5. Drastic Social Changes

"Friends and companions can and sometimes should, change a bit by the time your child leaves high school. Nevertheless, if your child´s associates suddenly are vastly different in negative ways from those they used to spend time with, this is usually a very bad sign. It´s even more telling if they now avoid or shun their old friends for no readily apparent reason."

6. Finding Unusual Possessions

"Discovering drugs, whether prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal narcotics that you had no idea that your child was using calls for immediate address. The same can be said for condoms, birth control devices, cigarettes, alcohol, and drug paraphernalia of any kind.

Recently, even glue, industrial products, and cleaning supplies have been used as inhalants (known among teens as "huffing") by kids seeking to get "high"-- often with fatal results. Finding these in your child´s room, pockets, or belongings is just as serious as finding a weapon. More than a red flag, this is a screaming siren!"

7. Legal Troubles

"Finally, if your child has been arrested at least once, this is clear indication that the situation is rapidly careening beyond the scope of your reach. By the time law enforcement becomes involved two or more times, your child has become society´s problem and the courts will soon decide his or her future.

Repeated run-ins with legal authorities can never be overlooked as "just a phase". There may still be hope, but only if drastic measures are taken and your child still cares enough to save himself or herself. Only so many chances are given to legal offenders. Don´t let time run out. Intervene while you still can."

These are all excellent points and can be of help to parents who ask, "is my kid abusing inhalants?" The warning signs are often subtle, but they are there.

Safe Kids Against Inhalants

Safe Kids of Central Shenandoah Valley has done a great job in raising awareness of inhalant abuse prevention in their community! After receiving a grant from the Virginia Department of Health in 2007, they began their efforts to spread inhalant abuse prevention messages to youths.

They have collaborated with the Harrisonburg City Schools and Risk Watch to issue a poster and essay contest for 7th graders. Their poster and essay contest was such a success last year, they are doing the same project again this year. Each participant will receive an "Inhalants Stink" t-shirt and tickets to the movie theater. The program is currently wrapping up for 2008, and they are happy to announce there have been more participants this year than last!

Safe Kids and the Strong Families Great Youth Coalitions have been working hard on getting inhalant prevention messages out to the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community. Their Inhalant Abuse prevention display board has been rotated around Harrisonburg businesses and agencies during the past year. The board contains essential information for parents, educators and kids. That board has rotated around 10 businesses in Harrisonburg.

In addition to that, Safe Kids has incorporated table tents and tray liners which appear in middle schools and restaurants.

Safe Kids has also had a presence at several symposiums and fairs during the year. They exhibit their information in a variety of ways, including: table tents, bookmarks, tray liners, Virginia Department of Health’s tip sheet, and ACE’s What Every Parent Needs to Know About Inhalant Abuse brochures to name a few.

Notably, the group featured Inhalant Abuse prevention at the Harrisonburg Teen Pregnancy Prevention’s 2007 Teen Health fair. Approximately 400 teens were in attendance at the fair!

For more information on this group, or to find out how you can get involved, please contact Cindy Reeves at 540-433-4421 or email creeves@rhcc.com.

Williams Speaks to Schools in Kentucky

Sgt. Jeff Williams spoke to crowds comprised of junior high students, high school students, parents, counselors, and police officers for two days last week in Glasgow, Kentucky. The state has made efforts to counter the high inhalant abuse rate in some areas by inviting speakers to talk to schools and community leaders.

Williams says that what he wanted to get across was to, "in plain language, relay the most important information" - the most important information being what inhalants are, signs of inhlanat abuse, as well as the potential consequences. He says that he wants to counter all of the bad information that kids hear from their peers and get the real information out there.

Every child is going to be faced with a choice of whether or not to use inhalants. It's no longer a question of 'if', he says. Parents avoid discussing inhalant abuse with their kids because they "don't want to teach them", so they don't talk to them. Williams is in favor of giving children the real facts, the dangers, and the consequences so that they are able to make an informed decision.

Sgt. Jeff Williams is a police officer from Indiana who has become active in the inhalant community after his son Kyle died in 2004. Last December he was unanimously elected to the ACE Board of Trustees. 

Kids Try Different Products for 'Legal High'

KTVZ of Central Oregon posted Part Two of a special report, "Teens and Legal Highs". This article seeks to inform parents about the prevalence of inhalant abuse in youth.

A School Resource Officer interviewed said that computer duster is a particularly popular inhalant.

One teenager that the interviewer spoke with says his peers "take the nozzle of that dust off stuff, put it in their mouth, and spray. Your lungs can collapse. Teens also do that with hairspray you put a towel over it. I saw it on TV."

YouTube is also mentioned, as many students are able to find videos of their peers huffing and laughing, without showing any of the negative side effects.

Other legal highs are explored, such as eating nutmeg and poppy seeds. One woman, after losing her poppy plant, said that she "wondered where did my plant go? I realized kids took it to get high. I bet they didn't get high from it, but I miss my plant."

I see this as another argument against restriction of inhalants in retail stores - it's clear that kids aren't looking for a specific product, but for anything to get the high sensation. If one product is banned, next week it will be another popular 'drug' that kids ingest. Should nutmeg be kept locked in cabinets? Should poppy seed products only be sold to adults with valid ID?

Perhaps the focus should be on why youths are so intent on getting high by any means possible. Is it a form of escape? Is peer pressure so overwhelming? Is it just juvenile experimentation? Boredom?