Feb 11, 2008 11:27 pm US/Eastern
Parents Sound The Alarm About Inhalant Abuse
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Inhalant abuse is a growing danger happening right under our noses.
Sally Thorner reports kids are abusing products found around the house.
Even the first time, inhaling the gas from a household product can be deadly.
"I knew after three minutes that brain damage would be happening. By 10 minutes I knew he was gone," said Mitchellville mother Janna Zuber, who re-lives the day her son Justin died inhaling air freshener to get high. "He had been found in his dorm room bathroom on the floor with a bag and air freshener beside him."
More than two million kids have tried huffing. Justin was one of the more than 800 Americans killed by inhalant abuse between 2000 and 2005.
Just last month, a car full of teens crashed into a karate studio just over the Maryland line in Gettysburg, Pa. Police say the driver blacked out while huffing.
Zuber admits huffing was never on her radar and recommends parents begin talking to their kids about the dangers of inhalant abuse as soon as they are old enough to understand.
It seems you can't start soon enough. Statistics shows inhalants are the most common drug among sixth graders.
That's why Maryland is leading the charge to get the message out. "Mackenzie's Law," named after another Maryland teen who died from huffing, requires the state to create an inhalant education program. The law could soon serve as a template for other states.
Educators are working to get major movie studios to portray inhalant abuse more responsibly. But Colleen Creighton at the Alliance for Consumer Education admits they're having a hard time keeping up with social web sites like 'YouTube.'
"Every time you type in inhalant, huffing or any of the product names, you'll see kids huffing. And for every one we take down, two days later there are four more up," said Creighton.
Here are some warning signs parents should look for in their children:
-Lack of coordination, skin discoloration around the nose and mouth and unusual odor on their breath or clothing.
-Be aware of mood changes.
-Pay attention at home. Are household products disappearing?
-Most importantly, talk to your children. Statistics show if parents talk to their kids about inhalant abuse, children are 50% less likely to try it.
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