By JOSEPH HARRIS
Glue-sniffing, along with the inhaling of toxic aerosols and household chemical fumes, once popular in the 1980s, is starting to make a comeback among the under-twenty population. Last month, an eleven-year-old boy in the United Kingdom died from “huffing” or “chroming,” as it’s now known. Unfortunately, this has become a popular fad due to people promoting it on TikTok.
A study conducted in Hernando County found that a large number of our young people have indulged in this deadly behavior. Most young people do not know anything about intoxicants, and when they experiment with one, the only thing learned is the feeling derived from the drug. One of the dangers of experimentation with an intoxicant is there are usually no warning signs for the harm that is to follow.
Drug abuse, in any form, will always result in damage and suffering due to the fact that one is involved in self-destructive behavior. You cannot escape from yourself, so whatever one does to oneself, they will have to experience the effects of the behavior.
When people abuse themselves with drugs, all those who love them suffer, as well. Parents watch their children destroying themselves and everything they do in an effort to help the child stop the abuse does not work. Siblings are emotionally tortured along with their parents due to having to witness the despicable changes in their older or younger brother or sister. The parents and siblings have a constant feeling of helplessness, resulting in depression, anger, and resentment.
Parents and siblings find themselves engaged in verbal hostility caused by the emotional pain generated by the addicted family member because that is the only outlet for the discomfort they want to keep secret from the rest of the community. This verbal hostility that causes family unrest is one of the reasons why parents must seek help immediately upon identifying any sign of drug abuse. Hiding feelings of shame or guilt cannot help your loved one, but seeking help can result in relief from both guilt and shame.
The job of the parent is to attack drug abuse with all available means, such as counseling, the clergy, psychologists, AL-ANON (813-881-9372), and all credible addiction counseling services, which are many in the Tampa Bay Area.
Keep in mind that all drugs of abuse have the same impact on individuals and their families, and sniffing glue is no different than the rest of the deadly chemicals. Glue sniffing has addictive qualities. Part of addiction means to devote or surrender oneself to something habitually or obsessively– to cause one to become psychologically and or physically dependent upon a drug. It also means to continue the abuse in spite of consequences.
The deadly nature of glue sniffing can impair the ability to breathe or directly affect the lungs, leading to acute respiratory failure. This condition prevents sufficient oxygen from reaching the rest of the body. Chronic respiratory failure can also occur over time due to ongoing glue-sniffing, potentially leading to coma. The solvents in glue, especially Toluene and Naphthalene, can damage the myelin sheath around nerve fibers in the brain and nervous system. This damage can cause long-term harm to brain function, similar to the effects seen in multiple sclerosis.
Exposure to glue chemicals can lead to irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia). In some cases, abnormal rhythms can result in fatal heart failure, known as sudden sniffing death syndrome (SSAS).
Glue sniffing can trigger seizures. Prolonged use of glue harms the liver. Glue inhalation may affect kidney function. Vomiting during intoxication can lead to choking. Glue sniffing causes impaired judgment, which can result in accidents, falls, and car crashes.
As we can see clearly, glue sniffing is a poisonous behavior for human beings. The definition of poison is any substance causing illness or death when absorbed into the body, even in relatively small quantities, anything harmful or destructive to happiness or welfare, such as an idea or emotion, to influence wrongfully or corrupt.
Glue sniffing is an unnatural euphoric feeling generated by a poison chemical in which young people, in particular, cannot identify the danger because they are totally focused on the feeling.
Parents, PLEASE acquaint yourselves with this deadly fad. Monitor your children’s internet use. Know where they are and, hopefully, what they’re doing all hours of the day and night. Talk to them about the dangers of glue-sniffing and other drugs, including tobacco and alcohol. Most importantly, teach them to make wise decisions, whether or not you are around. Show them that they don’t have to follow the crowd.
Teachers and other caregivers, educate yourself about these dangers. Have frank and open discussions in your classroom on this subject because some children do not receive guidance at home.
I advise that all of you young people know the truth about glue-sniffing, accept the facts that are presented in this article, and protect yourselves from a life of severe mental and physical damage, or even death. By avoiding sniffing glue and other inhalants you can continue to develop into strong and healthy adults, having the opportunity to excel in life where most pleasurable goals are unlimited.
Joseph B. Harris lives in Spring Hill and is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor with 48 years of experience. He is also the author of three books. Go to his website: masteraddictionrecoverycounselor.com where you can purchase his books and view his videos dealing with overcoming addiction to all drugs, including alcohol and tobacco.
