Dangers associated with huffing

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — First responders and a local health expert wants to warn people about the dangers associated with huffing.

This past week Wayne Township Fire Department said they responded to a call of an unconscious man who had passed out inside his vehicle in the middle of the street. When they got to the scene, he had gained consciousness but there were multiple cans around him empty of the product used to cleaned keyboards.

“People are just taking this and it’s cold and people are taking this and sticking this in their mouth and inhaling this or in a rag and inhaling this and that’s poison coming out of there,” described PIO Michael Pruitt with the Wayne Township Fire Department.

Inhaling fumes, known as huffing can be easy to do because the products are not illegal and their easy to buy. For example, spray paint, laquer thinner, or some types of glues could be some products chosen to be huffed.

The result is a short high with lasting consequences.

“People can get maybe a similar but very short effect as they would from alcohol but it’s a very short lived effect so maybe about a minute or so,” said Blake Froberg, a Toxicologist at Riley Children’s Hospital.

Huffing can cause heart problems. 

“You can get what are called Cardiac arrhythmias or basically disruption of the electrical activity of your heart. That can cause your heart to stop working properly and then lead to death,” Froberg added.

“It’s extremely dangerous and that’s why we’re trying to push that word out there. It might look funny on YouTube to do this but it could absolutely be deadly,” Pruitt added.

Chronic huffers could damage their kidney, liver, heart, and have permanent brain damage. 

Huffing is most often seen in teens. Froberg said parents who suspect their children could be huffing are advised to talk to them and lock those products away.