Under federal law, inhalants are not classified as controlled substances mainly because many household cleaning products or aerosol cans can be used as inhalants, making it difficult for the justice system to authorize substance abuse treatment for inhalant abusers. Currently, Massachusetts family members, physicians, and law enforcement have the capacity to petition the courts for substance abusers to receive court-mandated alcohol or substance abuse treatment in state-approved rehabilitation facilities. Court-ordered treatment usually involves substance abuse rehabilitation residency for 30–90 days, depending on the severity of the substance abuse and its related problems. However, the existing statute overlooks the need for rehabilitation for inhalant abusers whose substance abuse dependencies and addictions tend to go untreated.

Inhalant abuse, which involves sniffing or inhaling toxic fumes from chemical liquid, spray, and gas products to achieve a high, is most common among 12–17 year olds. In 2007, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that 1 million teenagers were dependent on or abusing inhalants that year. Around 17.2% of adolescents who abuse drugs admit that inhalants were their first substance of abuse. Because inhalants do not gain as much notice as illicit substances do in the eyes of the law, inhalant abuse—or “huffing”—can often serve as a gateway drug for more harmful substance abuse problems. Inhalants can create anything from a small high to cardiac arrest when inhaled, and can even lead to death; essentially, there are no safe levels of abuse when children decide to inhale dangerous toxic vapors.

With passage of this new state law, Rep. Murphy hopes to bring more focus on this serious problem and assist local families who are affected by inhalant abuse get the help they need. Inhalant abuse has the capacity to cause severe adverse affects including respiratory and cardiac problems, depression, uncharacteristic behavior, anger, aggressiveness, and mood swings. SAMHSA has reported on relationships found between inhalant abuse by teenagers and major depressive episodes and delinquent behavior. Families affected by inhalant use in their households may feel powerless against preventing their addicted teenagers from accessing everyday products in the kitchen, bathroom, or garage that can be used for inhalant abuse. With instatement of Rep. Murphy’s bill, the courts can now have the ability to intervene during these crucial moments for teenagers and provide them with the treatment they need, and hopefully prevent further growth of this risky behavior among youths.

Source: Boston.com, Murphy Touts Passage of Inhalant Bill, August 3, 2010

When an adolescent uses an inhalant, they breathe it into the nose or mouth and it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream from the lungs. Its effects are quickly felt, though the duration is short. However, inhalants can be very dangerous, not only causing stress on breathing passages, but also causing problems for the central nervous system.

A recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) examined the dynamics of inhalant use combined with the complication of suffering from a respiratory condition, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. It defined as an inhalant "liquids, sprays, and gases that people sniff or inhale to get high or to make them feel good."

The NSDUH asked respondents aged 12 years and older to give information about the use of inhalants during their lifetime, past year and past month. The adolescents were also asked to report about their history with the four respiratory conditions. The findings are from combined 2006 to 2008 NDSUH data.

Approximately 2.4 million adolescents used an inhalant during their lifetime, and 1.0 million adolescents used an inhalant in the last year, equating to 9.7 percent and 4.1 percent respectively.

Females were slightly more likely to use inhalants than males (4.3 versus 3.9 percent) and the highest number of inhalant users were aged 14 or 15 years old. Asians and blacks were less likely than other races to have used inhalants in the past year.

13.5 percent of all respondents indicated that they had been told by a doctor that they suffered at least one of the following respiratory conditions: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis.

There was no difference in respiratory conditions between genders and the results were also consistent between age groups. Rates of respiratory conditions were higher, however, with respondents that were of two or more races.

Approximately 143,000 respondents, or 0.6 percent, had both used inhalants and had a respiratory condition in the past year. 1 in 20 adolescents who had reported at least one respiratory condition also had used an inhalant in the past year.
The most commonly used inhalants by those with at least one respiratory condition were glue shoe polish or toluene, gasoline or lighter fluid, and spray paints.
Because inhalants are legal and easy to access, it is important to understand the risks associated with using them to get high among U.S. adolescents who also have a respiratory condition. Though their effects are rapid and fade quickly, they can be very dangerous and even lethal.
 

The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC) and SAMHSA kicked off National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week at a press conference featuring information and personal stories about the dangers of inhalant use or "huffing." One of the leading participants in this year’s event was the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), which represents more than 67,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs). The organization urged its members to take continuing education programs designed to help enhance physician awareness of this risk to youth.

The need to increase awareness of this public health risk among physicians, parents, and others cannot come too soon for Kevin Talley, the father of Amber Ann Suri, who died in February 2009 after huffing. Her parents suspected something was going on when they noticed she had a pungent smell, glassy eyes, and complained about sinus problems. Although she was taken to a doctor, her real problem was not identified and she was treated only for her sinus symptoms. She died shortly thereafter.

Ashley Upchurch, a 17-year-old recovering from addiction to inhalants and other drugs, spoke at the press conference about the consequences of huffing, the importance of identifying and treating inhalant abuse, and the hope of recovery. "Inhalants were a cheap, legal, and an intense high that would also enhance the feeling I would get from other drugs," she said. "These highs nearly destroyed my life." In recovery for two years, Ashley now participates in a recovery program and is "giving back by sharing (her) story of hope with others."

Young people sniff products such as refrigerant from air conditioning units, aerosol computer cleaners, shoe polish, glue, air fresheners, hair sprays, nail polish, paint solvents, degreasers, gasoline, or lighter fluids. Youngsters intentionally inhale these substances to get high. Most parents are not aware that use of inhalants can cause "Sudden Sniffing Death"—immediate death due to cardiac arrest—or lead to addiction and other health risks.

SAMHSA data from the 2006-2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health show a rate of lifetime inhalant use among 12-year-olds of 6.9 percent, compared to a rate of 5.1 percent for nonmedical use of prescription type drugs; a rate of 1.4 percent for marijuana; a rate of 0.7 percent for use of hallucinogens; and a 0.1 rate for cocaine use.

"We continue to face the challenge of increasing experimentation and intentional misuse of common household products among the youngest and most vulnerable segments of our population—12-year-olds. The data are ominous and their implications are frightening because of the toxic, chemical effects of these legal products on growing minds and bodies. One of the front-line defenses against inhalant use is the family health care provider. This is why the action of the American Osteopathic Association is so important and why we are so proud that they are joining us and our partners in this public health campaign," Harvey Weiss, NIPC executive director, said.

According to collected data, the prevalence of past year inhalant use was nearly four times higher among adolescents than among young adults aged 18 to 25, or 1.3 percent versus 0.4 percent. Mental health also plays a role in usage as those with a past year major depressive episode (MDE) were more than three times as likely as their counterparts with no episodes to use inhalants.

During the study period, research determined that 8.5 percent of adolescents had experienced MDE in the past year. Females were proven to be three times as likely as males to experience past year MDE as these statistics were proven to be 12.7 percent versus 4.6 percent. As the age of the youth increased, so did the past year rate of MDE.

Study data found past year usage of inhalants among adolescents was 4.5 percent for the study period. This percentage represents 1.1 million youths and females were more likely than males to use inhalants in the past year, at 4.8 percent versus 4.2 percent, respectively. Youths in the age range of 14 to 15 were more likely to use inhalants than those aged 12 to 13 or 16 to 17.

This report also examined whether or not youths with MDE were more likely to use inhalants. For those adolescents examined in the study, 10.2 percent used inhalants in the past year, compared with 4.0 percent of youths with no MDE. Males who had experienced an MDE were nearly twice as likely as those without past year MDE to have used inhalants.

At the same time, females with past year MDE were almost three times as likely as those without past year MDE to have used inhalants. The percentage distribution was 10.5 percent versus 3.9 percent. In each age group, youths who experienced a past year MDE were more likely than their peers to have used inhalants.
 

A March 2009 report by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Trends in Adolescent Inhalant Use: 2002 to 2007 examined the number of teens who used inhalants to get high. With such easy access to dangerous substances – such as glue, shoe polish and aerosol sprays – inhalant use was on the rise in the early 2000s. Now, data from the second half of the decade shows that usage is declining.

Study data shows that the percentage of adolescents – youth aged 12 to 17 – who used inhalants in the past year was lower in 2007 than it was in 2003, 2004 and 2005. For those adolescents who did use inhalants for the first time in the past year, that rate of use of nitrous oxide declined among both males and females. In addition, in 2007, 17.2 percent of adolescents who initiated illicit drug use during the past year reported that inhalants were the first drug they had used.

Nearly 1.0 million adolescents used inhalants in 2007, which represents 3.9 percent of adolescents. The positive news is that this rate was lower than the 2003-2005 rates. Inhalants were used and/or abused by adolescents at a relatively stable rate of 0.4 percent between 2002 and 2007.

For the year 2007, 2.1 percent of adolescents who had not previously used inhalants began to do so during the prior 12 month period. This rate did prove to be lower than the rates for initiation for 2002 through 2005.

While inhalants were the first drug used by 17.2 percent of past year illicit drug users, marijuana was the first drug used by 56.3 percent. For 23.5 percent of past year illicit drug users, nonmedically used prescription-type drugs were the first type of drug used. All rates remained relatively stable between 2002 and 2007.

Of those teens that did use inhalants in the past year, the percentage using the most specific types of inhalants did not differ greatly in 2007 from the percentage in 2002. There did appear to be a few exceptions, including the use of nitrous oxide or “whippits”. The rate of use for this inhalant was lower in 2007 than in 2002. The use of aerosol spray other than spray paint3 was higher in 2007 than in 2002.

While the rates of inhalant use among adolescents seem to be on a downward trend, the rates of dependence or abuse of these substances appears to have remained stable in the study timeframe. These overall findings indicate that ongoing efforts are necessary to increase awareness among adolescents, parents, educators and others as to the dangers of inhalant use

The risk of inhalants is much more well-known today, but is often still downplayed by those who believe their children are immune. Even worse, drug education programs – also known as drug awareness programs – did more than just educate kids to the dangers of drugs. At times, these programs actually showed kids just how easily they could get high.

A My High Plains piece focused on the choices of Kelli Crockett, who revealed that a middle school drug awareness program opened up the door to new highs for her. By 13, she was already drinking and smoking pot and in looking for a different high, found it in her cleaning cabinet at home.

According to government estimates, 17 percent of adolescents have tried inhalants at least once. As Ashley Kilpatrick, certified addiction counselor, points out, it is accessible. Finding products to deliver the high is extremely easy, yet most teens don’t understand the dangers inherent in these products.

Inhalants pose an extreme risk to users as they cut off oxygen to the brain. Even huffing just once can kill, although instances have been rare. And the signs are hard to notice, especially as many of them mirror normal teenage mood swings. For Crockett, it was an overdose that nearly took her life that finally got the attention of her parents. To best prevent such a scare, parents need to be real and they need to be watching.