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Using Inhalants To Obtain A Cheap High Is No Laughing Matter In Medical /Legal Circles, Samuel D. Hodge Jr.

Samuel D. Hodge Jr.

Much attention has been devoted to the ill effects of drug and alcohol abuse. However, there is an equally disturbing trend of people using household or industrial products to obtain a “quick high” by inhaling the fumes from these items. These gases seem innocuous but when inhaled, they can be more dangerous than street drugs with life altering consequences. The abuse of inhalants is not a problem limited to a specific segment of the population. Rather, it is a widespread issue that has no economic, social or age related boundaries. Thirty-seven states have enacted statutes concerning inhalant abuse. A few …