If you or someone you know is having problems with drugs, help is available at:
Alcohol and Drug 24-Hour Helpline
800-562-1240
Crisis Clinic Resource Hotline
360-586-2800
True North-Student Assistance Services
360-339-8108
Providence St. Peter Chemical Dependency Center
800-332-0465
If you want to learn more about drug abuse or find information on particular drugs, the following links can be useful:
Drug dependence/abuse information by WebMD:
www.webmd.com/mental-health/drug-dependence-abuse
Drug information and parenting advice:
www.theantidrug.com
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s family and parenting guide:
www.family.samhsa.gov
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has information for parents in English and in Spanish, along with a drug guide:
www.drugfree.org
Inhalants are a diverse group of chemicals found in consumer products such as aerosols and cleaning solvents. Inhalant use can cause a number of physical and emotional problems, and even one-time use can results in death. Some of the more common are nitrous oxide (laughing gas), amyl nitrite (poppers or snappers), butyl nitrite (rush, bolt, bullet, locker room and climax), chlorohydrocarbons (aerosol sprays or cleaning fluids) and hydrocarbons (cans of aerosol propellants, gasoline, glue, paint thinner). These products are inhaled to create a rush, or high. They also cause a rapid pulse, a feeling of disorientation and impaired judgment, among other effects.
More than 1,000 common products are potential inhalants that can injure and kill, including:
Glue
Freon
Correction fluid
Computer agents
Deodorizers
Markers
Paint products
Gases (whippets, butane, propane)
Gasoline
Fire extinguishers
Nail polish remover
Lighter fluid
Hair spray
Cleaning agents
Possible negative effects of using inhalants include:
Dizziness, headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain
Visual hallucinations and severe mood swings
Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
Nausea, nosebleeds, coughing, sneezing
Irregular heartbeat
Violent behavior, suffocation, sudden death
Liver, lung and kidney damage
Brain and nervous system damage
Dangerous chemical imbalances in the body
Involuntary passing of urine and feces
Long-term use of inhalants has been associated with irreversible brain damage. When inhalant use continues over a period of time, the user will probably develop a tolerance to inhalants. This means that the user will need more frequent use and greater amounts of the substance to achieve the effects desired. This, in turn, increases the risk of suffering possible negative effects. Ahysical dependence to the inhalant also can develop, causing hallucinations, headaches, chills, tremors and stomach cramps when the user tries to give up the habit.
Online resources:
Information on inhalants from Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Information on inhalants from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
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