By the Lopez Island Prevention Coalition

Special to the Weekly

People do not typically think of household products as drugs because they were never intended for that purpose.

However, many products readily found in the home or workplace, such as glue, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, spray paints, deodorant and hair spray, whipped cream canisters and cleaning fluids, contain volatile substances that have psychoactive (mind-altering) properties when inhaled.

These products are especially (but not exclusively) abused by young children and adolescents, and are the only class of substance abused more by younger than by older teens.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Monitoring the Future survey, 13.1 percent of eighth graders have used inhalants.

Parents and children need to know that even sporadic or single episodes of inhalants abuse can be extremely dangerous.

Inhalants can disrupt heart rhythms and cause death from cardiac arrest, or lower oxygen levels enough to cause suffocation.

Regular abuse of this substance can result in serious harm to vital organs, including the brain, heart, kidneys and liver.

Most abused inhalants other than nitrates depress the central nervous system in a manner not unlike alcohol. The effects are similar – slurred speech, lack of coordination, euphoria and dizziness.

Inhalant abusers may also experience light-headedness, hallucinations and delusions.

With repeated inhalations, many users feel less inhibited and less in control. Some may fee drowsy for several hours and experience a lingering headache.

People tend to abuse different inhalants products at different ages. New users ages 12 to 15 most commonly abuse glue, shoe polish, spray paints, gasoline, and lighter fluid. New users ages 16 to 17 most commonly abuse nitrous oxide or “whippets.” Adults most commonly abuse a class of inhalants known as nitrites (such as amyl nitrates or “poppers”).

The Lopez Island Prevention Coalition encourages community members to make a concerted effort to help prevent this unsafe activity among our youth by being aware and alert to the dangers. For more info, visit drugabuse.gov.

Shattering myths

Lopez Island Prevention Coalition presents information for National Drug Facts Week from Jan. 26 – Feb. 1

Did you know?

• You are bombarded with messages about drugs in songs and movies.

• A study of the most popular songs found that about 1 in 3 songs said something about drug, alcohol, or tobacco use.

• Three in 4 rap songs said something about drugs, alcohol or tobacco use.

• A study of the top 90 movies over the last two decades, almost 7 in 10 movies showed characters smoking.

• One in 3 movies showed people getting drunk.

Did you know ?

• Vicodin is a medication prescribed to relieve pain.

• Prescription pain medications were involved in more overdose deaths than heroin and cocaine combined.

Did you know?

• Most people who start smoking in their teens become regular smokers before they’re 18.

• Four hundred and forty thousand Americans die from diseases associated with tobacco use each year

Did you know?

• Repeated drug use can reset your brain.

• Repeated drug use can reset the brain’s pleasure meter, so that without the drug, you feel hopeless and sad. Eventually, everyday fun stuff like spending time with friends or playing with your dog doesn’t make you happy anymore.

Did you know?

•There is hope and help

• It takes time to recover from addiction – not only for your brain to re-adjust, but to make life style changes to avoid drugs

1-800-662-HELP is a confidential hotline.