Chicago, IL - A little known but deadly problem is lurking in almost everyone's garage, cabinet, and cleaning closet. The source of this emergency is for sale in most convenience and grocery stores in every suburb in America. This menace takes hundreds, and maybe thousands of youthful lives each year. Most people have no idea of the magnitude of the issue. It has been declared one of the "gateway substances" that leads to the use of "harder" drugs. The source of this scourge is Inhalant abuse.
A typical Inhalant abuser is 14-16 year old, can be of any race or ethnic origin, probably abuses inhalant substances with one or two friends, and doesn't understand what he or she is "getting into", according to Catherine Macintyre of the International Institute of Inhalant Abuse. Macintyre says that one of the biggest problems involving this burgeoning issue is the fact that most people don't even recognize that there is one.
There are more 1,400 known substances that are categorized as capable of being abused by inhalation. They include hydrocarbons, nitrites, anesthetics, alcohols, and halogen compounds. Some typical name-brand substances that have been frequently abused are; airplane glue, Scotchgard, Pam, carbon-tetrachloride, gasoline, paint thinner, Butane, "White-Out" correction fluid, color markers, and other items too many to mention.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), while abuse of several other drugs may be declining among younger people, inhalant abuse appears to be increasing. Dr. Neil R. Rosenberg, a neurologist from the Colorado Neurological Institute at the Swedish Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, was quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times as saying; "They do it because either it's not illegal or there's a law that nobody knows about or enforces . . . and because it's available". Rosenberg says that Illinois is one of only four states that have laws prohibiting inhalant abuse.
Ms. Macintyre, who helps Dr. Rosenberg to study the neurological effects of inhalant abuse, says that most of the substances that are abused are entirely legal to obtain and possess and that they are "cheap" to purchase. She says that many adult's unfamiliarity with the abuse properties of inhalant substances also contributes to the attractiveness of them for youngsters. Most of the products are readily available and can be purchased at any neighborhood hardware, hobby, convenience, or grocery store.
Often, teen-agers are abusing inhalants, almost in front of a parent or teacher, without their knowledge. Macintrye also says that youths of today abuse potentially toxic substances because they "like the high" or feeling of euphoria that is produced by them. She also says that most teens do not recognize the physical dangers that are associated with inhalants. Lastly, Macintyre fears that inhalant abuse has become the "In Thing" to do in some neighborhood high schools, and that "peer pressure" will prompt others to experiment with it.
Dr. Rosenberg told EmergencyNet NEWS that many of the substances are extremely hazardous to their target organ, the brain. They can be very damaging to irreplaceable brain cells and eventually lead to various kinds of organic brain syndromes, convulsions, coma, or even cardiac arrest. There are a variety of associated physical complications associated with inhalant abuse. They include; cardiac arrythmias, suffocation, asphyxia, and unintended trauma. Additionally, long term abuse of inhalants has been linked to damage to the optic nerve, diminishment of cognitive abilities, and kidney, liver, and bone diseases.
Worse yet, according to medical professionals, is the fact that few young people are successfully resuscitated following inhalant induced cardiac arrythmias. Statistically, most children that suffer cardiac arrest are eventually pronounced dead. Rosenberg said that some initial patient reactions to inhalant abuse can cause almost immediate death.
Treatment of inhalant abuse cases may be limited to supportive care and treatment of the presenting symptoms. Severe inhalant-induced agitation has been successfully treated with Hapoperidol (1-5mg. q 6hrs.). Most EMS personnel will follow standard treatment protocals as per the patient's symptoms. The use of epinephrine is generally not recommended, due to possible cardiac sensitization.
Caution is urged during transport as inhalant-abuse patients may experience hallucinations and become combative. Restraints should be applied in acccordance with your local system policy, and as per physician direction. Sufficient personnel should assist with removal of the patient to the hospital to ensure the safety of both the patient and the crew.
When asked about the total number of deaths caused by inhalant abuse each year, Ms. Macintyre said that no one has "exact" mortality statistics, because there is no official agency that has the responsibility to track these numbers. Anecdotal evidence, on the other hand, would suggest that this may be a major problem that hasn't been adequately addressed. At least four cases of known inhalant abuse have caused deaths and media attention, in the Chicago area during the past year. Discussions with area paramedics and law enforcement agencies suggest that many more youths are using the legal, but deadly substances.
According to the International Institute of Inhalant Abuse (IIIA), they are the only agency known to be receiving funding for study of this enigma. And . . . they say that the funding that they are receiving is only for the analysis of the neurological effects of inhalant abuse, not for prevention, education, or treatment programs. Reportedly, no other funding is provided by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) or any other federal agency to combat this growing problem.
Experts hypothesize that as law enforcement efforts continue to make the use of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and other illicit drugs more costly and difficult to obtain, that more of our nation's youth will turn to "legal" inhalant abuse for the "high" that they crave. The IIIA says that they hope that the public will soon recognize the dangers that inhalants pose, and resources will soon be made available to study and help to resolve the inhalant abuse dilemma.
(c) EmergencyNet NEWS Service, Exclusive to Emergency Medical Services Magazine, 1996