|
(ABC 6 NEWS) – It’s not a new form of abuse, but it's one that may be growing in popularity.
It's a form of drug-abuse that's been around for years.
"Spraying it into a plastic bag and then inhaling the fumes," explains Austin Police Chief Paul Philipp.
Its called huffing and Austin police say they're arresting more people for doing it.
"It’s really kind of a disturbing trend," Philipp adds.
For huffers, the drug of choice is spray paint.
But it can also involve things like felt-tipped markers, paint thinner, glue, hair spray and fabric protector.
There was even a recent case in austin where a young man huffed carburetor cleaner.
They're all easy to get, and relatively inexpensive.
"Huffing is an issue because of the availability piece. There are not a lot of statues that say you can't buy spray paint," say Thor Bergland, the AHS chemical dependency counselor.
And the impact comes in a hurry.
"It makes you high quickly, within about 10 or 20 seconds, and could last maybe two, three minutes," Bergland says.
It's a high that can sometimes be mistaken for intoxication.
"A lot of times their balance is poor, their speech is slurred, their eyes are bloodshot,” Philipp says.
But, as Austin police have discovered on some recent traffic stops, huffers often exhibit other obvious signs.
"Paint around the lips, paint on the nose, paint on the hands," says Philipp.
Huffing can lead to brain and nervous system damage, fetal development problems and even death. And like the 'high', it doesn't take long for the damage to start.
"Not even eventually ... Right away," Bergland warns.
Police say there is a specific criminal charge related to inhaling toxic chemicals.
|
Print Story
Email to a Friend