Teens often call the abuse of inhalants "huffing." They may spray aerosol fumes directly into their mouth or nose; inhale the substance inside a paper or plastic bag or on a rag; or from balloons filled with nitrous oxide. There is also a strong correlation between depression and huffing: "Between 2004 and 2006, an estimated 218,000 youths aged 12-17 used inhalants and also experienced depression in the past year," and depressed teens were more than three times as likely to start using inhalants, as "the reverse is also true, showing that teens often started using inhalants before depression began" (Inhalants and huffing, 2010, Parents: The antidrug). Besides exhibiting the symptoms of depression, such as moody or withdrawn behavior, teens who are huffing may smell like the substance they are abusing, appear drunk or uncoordinated, and slur their speech. Missing household products, rags that smell like chemicals that can be abused or other paraphernalia in the teen's room are other clues for parents.
It is, as in the case of preventing all types of drug abuse, important to discuss the dangers of all kinds of drug abuse with teen and preteens. Parents should take note of their teen's comings and goings, as well as his or her friends. And as a final, practical matter, minimizing the use of chemicals that can be abused in the household can reduce the risk and perception of harmlessness of these dangerous chemicals.
Reference
Inhalants. (2010). Teen drug abuse. Retrieved February 3, 2010 at http://www.teendrugabuse.us/inhalants.html
Inhalants and huffing. (2010). Parents: The antidrug. Retrieved February 3, 2010 at http://www.theantidrug.com/drug-information/commonly-abused-drugs/inhalants-huffing/default.aspx
