As bad as drug and alcohol abuse are, we don’t have to talk with students about it until they’re in high school or maybe late middle school, right?
Sadly, this statement isn’t true. In fact, large numbers of young children abuse drugs and alcohol and pay the consequences, sometimes even fatal ones.
Some young people abuse inhalants to achieve a high similar to some drugs. As its name indicates, an inhalant is a substance that people inhale through their noses or mouths. Users sometimes apply these substances to rags or place them into receptacles such as balloons so they can better inhale, sniff, or “huff” them.
These substances reflect the youth of their users. Since younger people often don’t have driver’s licenses or access to other transportation, many abuse substances such as inhalants because they’re easier to acquire.
You can easily find inhalants and probably even use some of them as part of your everyday life. Just a few of the substances include
- phone screen cleaner and other cleaning products
- nail polish remover
- shoe polish
- correction fluid
- glues
- markers
- gasoline
- spray paint
- whipped cream
- nitrous oxide
Since these products are everyday products, some people may think that they’re less dangerous than other types of substances. After all, you can buy these products legally at stores. Unlike illegal products such as heroin or cocaine, you don’t need to contact drug dealers to buy inhalants. Unlike the prescription drugs that many users abuse, you don’t need to contact doctors to obtain inhalants.
But legal doesn’t mean safe. As you know, it’s legal for adults to buy alcohol, but alcohol abuse and alcohol-related accidents injury and kill many, many people every year.
Inhalants are also deadly. Using inhalants can lead to sudden sniffing death syndrome, a condition that can occur the first time someone uses the substance. Prolonged inhalant use create long-term damage or harm unborn fetuses if users are pregnant. Using inhalants can also cause people to lose consciousness or even die.
Common and everyday doesn’t mean harmless. Inhalants can be the unknown dangers that are right under your nose.
