West Virginia Teen Dies After Abusing Inhalants

Via The Journal in West Virginia:


A 19 year old male from Ranson passed away last month after abusing inhalants. Jesse had been huffing computer duster in his room the night of the Super Bowl when he overdosed. He was placed on life support but passed away on February 13th.

The community planned a memorial concert in Harpers Ferry in the man’s honor and to raise awareness of the dangers of inhalant abuse. Local bands played the show and in between the bands area teens “discussed their experiences with Jesse, as well as struggles with various kinds of substance abuse.”

New Hampshire Driver Arrested After Abusing Inhalants Behind The Wheel

Via WMUR in New Hampshire:

A 25 year old woman was arrested and charged with operating under the influence after an inhalant related crash.

Around 10:05 am the woman’s car  “veered into the parking lane, sideswiping a parked vehicle before rear-ending a second parked vehicle, with the collision’s impact sending it into a third parked vehicle.” A can of computer duster was found in the front seat of the car and the driver was allegedly huffing the product immediately before the crash.

New Inhalant Toolkit and State Data from North Dakota

Via the Jamestown Sun in North Dakota:

New inhalant abuse data from North Dakota shows that inhalants are the third most commonly abused substances by middle school students in the state.  According to findings of the 201 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 7.4 percent of middle school students and 11.6 percent of high school students in North Dakota report abusing inhalants. 

To combat the issue the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services have created an educational inhalant abuse prevention toolkit for community leaders, parents, school officials and other professionals.The electronic copy of the kit is linked here but for a hard copy of the kit contact the department’s Prevention Resource and Media Center at 701-328-8918, toll-free at 800-642-6744 or by ND Relay TTY 800-366-6888.

Wisconsin Man Abusing Inhalants in Wal-Mart Parking Lot

Via WHBL in Wisconsin:

A 29 year old Sheboygan man has been charged with a misdemeanor charge of abusing a hazardous substance after police found him abusing inhalants parking lot outside a Wal-Mart.

Police found him “in his car speaking slowly with saliva dripping from his mouth.” He admitted he had been huffing from two cans earlier and police found 22 empty aerosol cans in the car. The man faces “up to 18 months in jail and fines of up to twenty thousand dollars.”

Massachusetts Woman Arrested For Huffing Dusters in Counseling Center Bathroom

Via the MetroWest Daily News in Massachusetts:

A 54 year old woman was arrested after police found her “huffing” computer dusting spray in the bathroom of a counseling center.  

The woman had gone to the center for counseling and a staff member reported hearing someone abusing inhalants in a bathroom stall. Police found three empty cans of computer duster and saw the woman huffing from a 4^th can.  While struggling with the officer she finished the 4^th can and admitted she tried huffing after seeing it on television.  She has been charged with inhaling toxic vapors.

Federal Agents and Nitrous Oxide Raid in Los Angeles

Via NBC in Los Angles:


Last week a federal sting in Los Angeles netted 400 tanks of nitrous oxide with an estimated street value of $20 million. The effort entitled “Operation No Laughing Matter” resulted in serving more than 20 search warrants and the sweep raided 17 businesses and nine delivery trucks. The gas was being sold illegally as an inhalant.

André Birotte Jr., the U.S. Attorney for Southern California, notes “It is no laughing matter at all. Children are being harmed. Lives are being destroyed. And children are being sent to the hospital ... and worse case to the morgue."

14 Year Old Los Angeles Girl Dead From Inhalant Abuse

Via the NY Daily News:


A 14 year old honor student from Porter Ranch, California is dead after huffing from a can of computer duster.

The girl’s younger sibling found her “in bed with her nostrils taped shut and a can of computer duster still clinging to her mouth.” The media reports indicate she died from cardiac arrest.

Her mom notes "I'm positive my daughter didn't realize it had the potential to kill her” and she stated that while they had addressed substance abuse with all three of their teenage daughters, they were “taken off guard” by the issue of inhalants. They are now encouraging other parents to talk to their children about how dangerous inhalants can be.

Transient Man Arrested for Huffing Starter Fluid on Train Tracks in Oregon

Via NR Today in Oregon:


A 52 year old transient man was arrested after allegedly huffing a can of starter fluid on the railroad tracks. He resisted arrest but was booked on “suspicion of criminal trespassing, unlawful possession of inhalants and resisting arrest.”

Kentucky Woman Crashes Car After Huffing

Via 14.com News in Kentucky:


A 33 year-old Greenville, Kentucky woman has been arrested after an inhalant abuse related car crash. She lost control of her car in a parking lot and struck a pole. The article notes “she was determined to be under the influence of canned, compressed air; commonly referred to as "dusting" and charged with DUI, operating on a suspended/revoked operator's license, and failure of non-owner to maintain required insurance.”

* please note that the product is not "canned air"- see our FAQ sheet here for more details

California Girl Dead After Huffing From Air Conditioner

Via the San Bernardino Sun in California:


A 12 year old girl is dead after huffing refrigerant from an air conditioning unit in California.

On February 28^th, her mom received a call from her family telling her they had found the girl on the bathroom floor of her grandmother’s house, where she lived, and she wasn’t breathing. Four days later she was taken off life support. The girl’s cousins admitted to having huffed previously and noted it was a common occurrence in their middle school.

Teens Huffing on School Bus in Tennessee

Via Local 8 TV in Tennessee:


A school resource officer saw five teens huffing computer dusting spray, or what he termed “brain duster” on the school bus. The teens have been charged with: “intoxication by an inhalant” and they are suspended pending a hearing at the school.

He spoke to another resource officer in another district and found it was happening in that community as well. The article references a survey of high school students in 2011 in Knox County that showed one in ten students “had inhaled some sort of aerosol to get high.”

Loud Inhalant Abuse in Pennsylvania Leads to Recovery of Stolen Property

Via the Citizens Voice in Pennsylvania:


Last week police responded to a report of three men “huffing from a can and shouting in the street.” When they arrived they found a 20 year old man in possession of a 12 ounce can of computer dusting spray. The police report notes his nose was red and inflamed. When they searched the man they found items later confirmed as stolen from Wal-Mart. The man was charged with “possessing stolen property, possessing a solvent to release toxic vapors, inhaling toxic releasing substances and public drunkenness.”

84 Year Old Kentucky Man Knocked To Ground in Huffing Hit and Run

Via WKYT in Kentucky:
Earlier this month an elderly man was the victim of a hit and run accident after the driver of the car had been huffing.

The 84 year old was at mid-day mass on a Monday when he went to help a man who appeared to be having a seizure in a car. He noticed the man was huffing and asked him to turn off the engine or he was going to call the police. The driver sped off, knocking the elderly man to the ground where he hit his head. Police were still searching for the driver.

Atlanta Teens Huffing From Air Conditioners

Via WSB TV and the CBS affiliate in Atlanta:


Six high school students are facing charges after they were found vandalizing a home air conditioning unit in an attempt to get high.
The homeowner heard noises on the back deck and saw teens “rolling around on the ground, having a hard time standing up” and “The one kid who was laying behind the unit had his mouth against it and just sucking it in.” He took photos of the teens from the window and when he went outside to confront them they were disoriented and dazed.

When the teens ran off they left their book bags behind which is how the police were able to identify them. They have been charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass, destruction of property and theft. The home owner notes it is the second time in two weeks he has caught teens huffing the refrigerant out of his air conditioner.

Florida Woman Leads Police on Chase After Huffing

Via Tampa Bay Online in Florida:


Yesterday, a 41 year old Sarasota woman was taken into custody after an inhalant related car chase.

Police were responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle when the car came at them. They attempted various maneuvers before finally being able to stop the car. The driver did not want to step out of the car and police thought she may be suicidal so a negotiator was called. It was then that deputies noticed she had been huffing nitrous oxide. She has been charged with “fleeing to elude, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, unlawful distribution of nitrous oxide and two counts of resisting arrest without violence.”

Connecticut Man Caught Huffing Behind Hotel

Via Danbury Daily Voice

A 37 year-old Danbury, CT man was found by police in a wooded area behind a local hotel. Police said the man was slumped over with his face in mud.  When woken by the police, the man grabbed a nearby aerosol can and attempted to huff again.  A police office knocked the can away, and in the process was struck in the leg by the man. The man is being charged with, "criminal trespass, assaulting a public safety officer and interfering with an officer’s duties."

Man Evaluated After Huffing Gasoline in Missouri

Via the St. Charles Patch in Missouri:


The local police blotter notes that on February 15, a man was found huffing gasoline on Veterans Memorial Highway. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Huffing Inside and Outside Stores in North Carolina

Via 1240 3WC in North Carolina:


Wilkesboro Police were called to a Lowes for a report of a possible shoplifter. When they arrived they were told a man had walked out of the store without paying for the can of computer dusting spray in his possession. A witness noted the man had been huffing the product both inside and outside the store.

The man at first denied it but then admitted to stealing the duster and huffing from the product. He was arrested and taken to jail with a $500 bond.

Inhalant Abuse on the Rise in Wisconsin

Via WSAU in Wisconsin:
According to the article “huffing” is again on the rise in Wisconsin. Rhinelander school officials took quick action once they discovered children were using body spray to get high.

The school contacted the parents and put out a good reminder that “this particular buzz could be your last. The biggest danger is it might be the last breath that they take. It’s like Russian roulette. You never know what is going to stop your heart or what casualty is going to happen. Some people will die the first time they huff. Others may die the 50th time they huff. It’s very high risk and it’s very addicting.”

New Inhalant Data from Connecticut

Via the Putnam County Courier in Connecticut:

The Putnam Communities that Care Coalition recently released the findings of the 2012 Prevention Needs Assessment Survey.

The survey revealed that 7 percent of the county’s teens has used inhalants to get high and that half of these 8th to 12th graders used an inhalant within the past month.