Arrests Spotlight the Dangers of Inhalants

MOUNDSVILLE, W.V. –  With the arrests of two Ohio men in Marshall County on huffing-related charges in recent days, the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition wants to inform parents and others in the community about the dangers of inhalant abuse.

Inhalants are substances that are sniffed or “huffed” to cause a high. While it doesn’t get the attention of alcohol and drug abuse, inhalants are dangerous because they are common household products that anyone can purchase, regardless of age. A national study found that 26% of students have tried inhalants by the 8th grade and it is not uncommon for some elementary school pupils to have tried inhalants as well. It can be the gateway drug for many users.

“Many people don’t realize how dangerous sniffing or huffing inhalants can be,” said Latrisha Whitelatch, substance abuse prevention director of the Marshall County Family Resource Network. “These products that can be found in nearly any home are some of the most popular and deadly substances of abuse.”

The National Child Safety Council said that ages 7 to 17 have the highest rates of use and that it's so dangerous that three out of 10 inhalant-related deaths occur on first time use. West Virginia has the highest rate in the 50 states of high school students (20.4%) who reported using inhalants at least once, according to the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Study. In West Virginia, inhaling intoxicants is a misdemeanor offense.

Inhalants can be breathed in, or huffed, many ways. Users report that the feeling is a lot like the euphoria from alcohol but also can include dizziness, hallucinations, delusions, belligerence, apathy and impaired judgment. Long-term effects can be even worse, including depression, muscle weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness and lack of coordination plus severe damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and brain. Death can occur at any time, even on the first use, from irregular heart beats or asphyxiation, aspiration or suffocation.

Signs of inhalant abuse are acting drunk or disoriented; paint or other types of stains on face, hands or clothing; slurred speech; chemical odors on clothing or breath; nausea; red or runny nose or rashes or sores around mouth, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Parents are urged:

--  to learn more about what inhalant abuse is and the dangerous substances found within many households

--  know where their children are and how they are spending their time

--  know who their children's friends are.

If you suspect inhalant abuse, get help quickly by calling 911.

“It’s our hope that people, especially parents, will become more informed about the issue of inhalant abuse and discuss it with the children in their lives,” Whitelatch said.

Parents can get more information about inhalant abuse, as well as an inhalant abuse toolkit, from inhalant.org. The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is also sponsoring a forum, “Parent to Parent: A Dialogue on How to Talk to Your Kids about Drugs,” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1601 1st Street, Moundsville. To RSVP or for more information, please call (304) 845-3300.

The Marshall County Family Resource Network is a not-for-profit organization that builds community partnerships to make Marshall County a better place to live and work. The FRN’s key efforts focus on substance abuse prevention, health and wellness and community development. It has leveraged more than $2.2 million in state and federal grants to help Marshall County over the past three years. It can be reached at 304-845-3300 or on the Web at marshallcountyfrn.com.

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is funded in part by a federal SPF-SIG Grant from the West Virginia Governor’s Office and the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being as well as the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. The grant is made possible by the State of West Virginia’s receipt of a federal Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) from the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. The grant is administered through the Marshall County Family Resource Network.