Boy who collapsed in Walmart likely ‘huffing’

This past Sunday, Nov. 28, a teenaged boy was found unconscious in the sporting goods section of Walmart. His condition is believed to have been caused by ingestion of compressed air, a type of drug use, referred to as dusting or huffing, which involves the inhalation products such as canned air or carbon dioxide cartridges.

“Basically people huff these products to dispel the oxygen from their lungs,” said Maricopa police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Judd. “It often causes the user to pass out and reawaken in a sense of euphoria.”

The boy who passed out in the Walmart awoke and fled the store before police and fire personnel arrived on scene, but there have been several deaths in the past few years attributed to the inhalation of these chemicals.

“Not only are teens replacing the oxygen in their lungs with poisonous fumes, but they are putting their lives at risk by inhaling these foreign substances,” said Cindy Schaider, executive director of Casa Grande Alliance, a non-profit anti-drug coalition

Schaider added that abusing inhalants to get high is nothing new.

“The number of teens using inhalants in Pinal County has slightly declined the past few years, but is still above that of nationwide and state averages,” she said.

The group most at risk is fifth to eighth graders, she added. “Your pre-teens typically do some pretty dumb stuff.”

In addition to compressed air, Schaider said teens also huff spray paint, whip cream, glue and air freshener.

“Typically huffers will inhale anything that is pressurized in a can,” she said. “It is typically the accelerant in these products that produce a high.”

While these types of substances are easily available at many stores and require no age verification to purchase, Schaider said there are steps parents can take to prevent their misuse.

“Parents should take an inventory of all possible inhalants in their house and secure those products,” she said.

The drug use prevention specialist also said she encourages parents to be attentive to their children and their environment.

“If a person is huffing they will leave behind empty cans, cloths soaked in aerosols and other debris,” she said.

She added teens huffing these substances would often have a distinct smell.

In the case of the youth fleeing from Walmart, she said it is likely he was not alone.

“Huffing is something teens typically do with their friends. I hope the parents of these teens will be able to get their children the help they need.”