A Message from Harvey Weiss the Executive Director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition

When Prevention Fails or Comes Too Late:
By: Harvey Weiss the Executive Director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition

At a recent meeting I mentioned data included in this and our last UPDATE and was challenged about the data’s accuracy. This sort of reminded me of the old Rodney Dangerfield line, “I can’t get no respect.” Or should I say, inhalants can’t get no respect!

Inhalant abuse is generally not the first thing that crops up when people talk or write about major substance abuse challenges; especially among adults. Meth, crack and heroin ring out but who would guess more adults “huff” than get involved in these substances. As perspective and to link some concerns together, I’ll cite a few facts that are elaborated on in our last UPDATE and this one:

Any time an inhalant is used or experimented with, it could be a fatal episode;
• Inhalants are usually the first substance a young person experiments with;
• Among 12 or 13 year olds, more kids “huff” than do any other illicit substance;
• For all people 12 and older, more people abuse inhalants than use meth, cocaine, heroin, oxycontin, LSD or sedatives;
• More people over the age of 18 are in treatment for inhalant dependence than are individuals younger than 18; and
• At least 280 inhalant related deaths were reported to the NIPC last year.

I would be the first to concur that the problems associated with use of meth, crack, heroin, oxycontin, LSD and sedatives are important and must be addressed. However we rarely hear the term inhalant abuse uttered with the same frequency or in the same context of alarm as these substances. Maybe it is about time more attention be paid to the substance being abused by more people - INHALANTS. We can no longer say our messages are just for youth but we must expand our audience to embrace adults of all ages.

While education and awareness are the keys to early prevention there must also be ongoing efforts to help people of all ages caught up in the stranglehold of inhalant abuse.

Cause of Death: Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome?

From Lufkin Daily News in Texas

Additional details concerning the death of a 40 year old Lufkin, Texas man have been released. Ace first reported on the incident earlier this week, as an adult male was discovered dead inside a local repair shop with a trash bag over his head, and clutching a canister of refrigerator coolant.

Police are now able to verify that the victim was indeed ‘huffing’ at the time of his death, but are still unsure as to whether the casualty can be attributed to ‘Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome’- the immediate death following inhalant misuse.

Inhalant abuse statistics reveal that one in three inhalant related fatalities occur among first time users. While it is still unclear as to whether the victim will be included in this percentile, “his death has indefinitely become one of the 125 inhalant-related deaths reported each year, according to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.”

The victim’s former employer (and repair store owner) felt content hiring a “reformed convict” but was unaware of any lingering substance abuse issues. In a statement issued to police the shop owner disclosed that he “didn’t even realize [the victim used drugs] until he found all of the containers of [coolant that had been ‘huffed,’] not knowing people even” engaged in such behaviors.

This unforeseeable tragedy should serve to remind us all just how widespread inhalant abuse truly is. Inhalants are likely to be used and abused by any individual, regardless of gender, race, financial status, or age.