Inhaling Common Household Products Can Lead to Serious Consequences

ALBANY, NY (03/15/2009)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today warned parents in New York about the addiction risks from common household products that can be abused by teenagers, causing serious harm.

Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors and gases that produce a high when misused. They include such products as paint thinner, dry-cleaning fluid, glue, gasoline, spray paint, deodorant, vegetable oil spray and nitrous oxide.

"Just as parents are concerned about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, they must realize the danger of inhalants, talk to their children and know what warning signs to look for," Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "Teenagers use inhalants to get high at home, often not aware, that sniffing could not only lead to an addiction, but could kill them."

A single session of repeated inhalant abuse can disrupt heart rhythms and cause death. In addition, frequent abuse can result in serious harm to the brain, heart, kidneys and liver. Inhalants are addictive, especially if abused for prolonged periods over many days. In 2008, more than 150 New Yorkers were treated for an inhalant abuse problem, of which 50 percent were teenagers.

The 20th Annual Teen Study from the Partnership for a Drug Free America showed that pre-teen and teen inhalant use remains steady at 11 percent for past year use, yet only 66 percent of teens report that "sniffing or huffing things to get high can kill you."

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo continued, "Parental awareness of the warning signs of inhalant abuse is critically important to preventing their child from abusing these products. Because these products are readily available, not publicized to the public nor discussed by parents as frequent as other drugs, teens believe they are safer than illicit drugs."

Indications of inhalant abuse include chemical odors on breath or clothing; paint stains on the face, fingers or clothing; hidden rags, clothes or empty containers of potentially abused products in closets or other places; dizziness; spots or sores around the mouth and/or nose; and irritability.

Addiction is a chronic disease and individuals need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can get help by calling the toll-free, 24-hour 7 days a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY.

For more information, please visit www.oasas.state.ny.us, www.inhalants.org, http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/newpubs.htm#New or www.inhalants.drugabuse.gov.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services programs, with 1,550 prevention and treatment providers which serve 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day. More than 250 of its programs are dedicated to prevention.

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