Inhalant Abuse on the Increase in Fairfax County, Virginia

Via FairfaxTimes.com

The results of the 2009 Fairfax County Youth Survey (grades 6,8,10,12) were released this past Tuesday and they show an increase in inhalant abuse from 2008 to 2009.

A county staff member expressed concern that “Although Fairfax County students generally use alcohol and drugs at lower rates than their peers in other parts of the country, the rate of inhalant use now is above the national average.”

• 5% of 8th graders report using an inhalant to get high within the past 30 days (national average= 4%)
• 3% of the county’s high school sophomores report using inhalants (national everage =2%)
• 2% of the county’s seniors report using an inhalant (national average=1%)

Father of Two Found Huffing Shoe Glue In Front Of Kids

Via Beaver County Times in Pennsylvania:

A 33 year-old father of two has been accused of huffing. Last Sunday police responded to a report of child endangerment. Two officers responded and “were immediately hit with an overpowering smell of a solvent.”

An infant was sitting in a car seat about 3 feet from a man with two tubes of shoe glue and a plastic bag containing the substance. The report notes that another empty tube of the product was on a stand next to the chair.

The man told the officers he had been using the substance to repair his shoes but when the shoes couldn’t be located, he responded he had repaired them weeks ago. The officers noted the strong smell in the house along with “a strong solvent odor coming from his breath and body.” In addition they noted he also seemed “disoriented, confused, and had watery, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.”

The man’s wife gave police a written statement that he had been inhaling glue all day. He was charged with “two counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count of illegal use of certain solvents and noxious substances.”

Inhalant Abuse Declines at PA High School

From Lancaster Online.com in Pennsylvania:

Some encouraging news from Manheim Township High School’s results in the 2009 Pennsylvania Youth Survey

Inhalant use declined from 3.7% in '07 to 2.4% last year (this just under the county average of 2.7%).

Indiana Man Tries to Break Into Cars After Huffing Paint

From the Evansville Courier & Press in Indiana:

This weekend police responded to a man “attempting to open car doors” in a local parking lot. They found a 29-year old man wandering through the lot and then when he noticed police he fled into the woods. The police found him with “silver paint covering the lower portion of his face.”

He admitted he had been huffing paint earlier that evening. He was arrested for “resisting law enforcement and inhaling toxic vapors.” The article also points out that he has previous arrests for inhaling toxic vapors.

Arrested in Texas: Inhaling While Biking

Via the East Montgomery County’s The Observer in Texas:

Last week deputies responded to a concern regarding a 39 year-old man “stumbling through a parking lot and inhaling something from a can and then riding a bicycle into the middle of Loop 494, where he was almost struck by a vehicle.”

The police report notes the man admitted the can of computer duster was his. He was “charged with possession/use of an inhalant and public intoxication.”

Another inhalant related arrest in California

From the Gilroy Dispatch in California:

According to the local police blotter, on October 10th a 22 year-old man was arrested for “driving under the influence and possessing an inhalant for intoxication.”

Rush Re-Emerging as an Inhalant Trend

Via WWLTV in Louisiana:

An interesting piece on the re-emergence of “Rush” as a popular choice for inhalants. Click here for more information.

Yet Another Inhalant Related Crash in North Carolina?

Via WWAY2 in Wilmington, North Carolina:

Last May, a 20 year old woman was a passenger in an inhalant related crash. The driver blacked out after huffing while driving and the car crashed into a tree. No one was injured but that same passenger was involved in yet crash this past weekend. This time she was seriously injured and the driver of the car was killed. Police are investigating whether drugs, alcohol, or inhalants were a factor in the second crash.

Inhalant Penalties in Idaho

Via the Times-News Magic Valley in Idaho:

An article about a synthetic marijuana ban in Cassia County included an interesting inhalant reference. “A minor found guilty of possession of inhalants currently faces a penalty of up to 30 days in juvenile detention and a $300 fine."

Note the next statement: “Those caught providing minors with synthetic marijuana face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.”

Is this fair or should the penalties be the same? Your thoughts?

Ace Congratulates SAFE

Congratulations to Substance Abuse Free Environment Inc. (SAFE) for being selected as one of the recipients of the 2010 National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices and Policies! SAFE received the award for its inhalant abuse prevention initiative.

SAFE began its education efforts in the Virginia community of Chesterfield in 1999. Though inhalant abuse was not a well-known issue, data showed inhalants were abused at an alarming rate among local eighth graders.

According to the recent Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, SAFE’s work has helped to reduce this rate. Over the past five years (2005 to 2010), SAFE has reduced lifetime use of inhalants among eighth graders by 44%! Furthermore, use of inhalants in this community during the past 30 days has also dropped by 64% since 2005. To see the entire survey, please click here.

This is a great accomplishment for SAFE and the community their work continues to impact! For more information about their educational programs or to read about how SAFE has inspired hundreds of community volunteers over the years, please visit www.chesterfieldsafe.org.

Missouri Teen Overcomes Addiction to Inhalant Abuse

Via Hattiesburg American in Missouri:

Last Friday, the paper featured a local student who overcame his addiction to drugs. That article can be accessed here. In the follow-up story this weekend, an interesting note about his inhalant addiction.

He started by “taking downers before moving to marijuana.” He then moved to abusing Adderall and then “after that it was alcohol and, finally, huffing gasoline fumes.” Frightening statement from him regarding his abuse of gasoline: "When I was huffing gas, I knew I would probably die but I didn't really car. I wasn't trying to commit suicide, but I didn't care whether I lived or died. It didn’t matter if I woke up in the morning or not. I couldn’t care less back then. I guess that was bottom.”

Man Faces Third Huffing While Driving Charge in Rapid City, SD

A man from Rapid City, South Dakota was jailed on Oct 4th for inhaling a cleaning compound in front of a Highway Patrol officer. The judge revoked the man's bond after learning that he has already had three driving-under-the-influence arrests for inhalant abuse. Tracey Decker, the Pennington County deputy state's attorney who urged this judge's action, commented that inhalant abuse is "very dangerous." It is especially dangerous when drivers are under the influence, as inhalants depress the respiratory system and frequently causes blackouts.

The man, who has also failed to show up for three scheduled court appearances, has obtained an attorney who is attempting to get him into an addiction treatment program. Meanwhile, Rapid City police encourages drivers and anyone who sees someone driving erratically to call 911, because there are still people who continue to abuse cleaning compounds while driving. "[With abuse of inhalants], a car becomes a 3,000 pound missile," said Rapid City police, who also found the man's car in a drainage ditch after his arrest.

Read more about the arrest here.

Survey Reveals Reduced Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, but Increased Inhalant Abuse

Last week, a survey from Erie, PA revealed that Erie County's adolescents are using less drugs and alcohol, but unfortunately inhalant abuse is an exception. Inhalants have been used by 7.2 percent of students in the past 30 days, which is more than double the 3.5 percent reported in 2007.

Amy Eisert, director of the Mercyhurst College Civic Institute, commented that this is because "inhalants are easily found and abused," especially when "availability is everything when it comes to juvenile drug use." However, Eisert remains hopeful, noting that they have implemented prevention programs in various middle schools, which she hopes is working to help the youths make better decisions about substance abuse.

Read more about the survey here.

Fatal Crash in New Jersey Caused by Inhalants

Via the Trentonian in New Jersey:

Authorities have revealed that inhalant abuse was a cause of the fatal crash last March in Pemberton, New Jersey.

The 20 year-old driver reportedly huffed a can of computer duster in a Wal-Mart bathroom before getting into his car. His car soon veered off the road into oncoming traffic where it struck another car, killing the 27 year-old father who was behind the wheel.
The investigation found that the driver “made no attempt to steer or brake to avoid a collision.” Additionally, “Forensic tests indicated marijuana and Difluoroethane were present in (his) blood at the time of the collision.”

He was arrested last Friday on charges of “vehicular homicide, assault by auto and intoxication while under age. He was booked into the Burlington County Jail on $100,000 cash bail”

Inhalant Abuse Caused Fatal Virginia Crash

Via NBC29.com in Virginia:

Blood tests have been released that show inhalant abuse was a contributing factor in a May 12, 2010 car crash on Afton Mountain in Virginia. The Medical Examiner’s office confirmed the presence of difluroethane in the blood system of the 29 year old driver.

The 29 year old was behind the wheel of a 1996 Buick Century when he passed out, causing the car to run off the road and through the median, where it struck a 2007 Toyota Corolla head on. The driver of the Buick and the 71 year old passenger in the front seat of the Toyota were killed.

16 Year Old Huffs Behind Wheel- Crashes Car Into Church

Via KHBS-KHOG in Arkansas:

This weekend, a 16 year old boy crashed his car after allegedly huffing computer duster behind the wheel.

The car left the highway, crashed through a fence and smashed into a church. No one was injured but the “estimated damage to the building is $10,000, $5,000 to the vehicle and $500 to the fence.”

The driver was arrested on the suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was transported to the local juvenile detention center.