Maryland to Educate Tweens, Teens, and Their Parents About Inhalant Abuse

The number of children that abuse inhalants is startling. In a recent press release, it was announced that 1 in 5 children within the U.S. will have tried an inhalant by the time they're in 8th grade. Both parents and teachers need to know the signs that a child might be using inhalants, and the many dangers associated with their use.

According to the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE), 1 in 5 children in the U.S. will try an inhalant by the time they're in the 8th grade. In the State of Maryland, inhalants are the second most popular way of getting high, after marijuana, for students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades.

Perhaps more frightening is the fact that inhalants is the drug of choice for 6th grade students. These students use inhalants twice as often as marijuana or any other drug.

"These numbers show that our children do know about Inhalants but they do not understand the risks associated with them. The numbers also show that while children are familiar with inhalants, their parents are not," said Colleen Creighton, Executive Director of the Alliance for Consumer Education.

The Inhalant Abuse Prevention Program is designed to help educate teachers about inhalant abuse. This program will also develop special kits to be used in outreach education. Many parents are unaware of the use, problems, and symptoms of inhalant use by teens. The educational outreach program is designed to bring parents up to speed about inhalant use in children.

Parents and teachers need to know what the signs might indicate that a teen is using inhalants.

Kits for the Maryland Inhalant Abuse Prevention Program will be developed by the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE) in conjunction with the Maryland Dept. of Education and the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Mackenzie's Law was passed in Maryland several years ago. It was named for Avin Mackenzie Glamp, who was only 15 years old when she died because of inhaling products. Mackenzie was the daughter of a Legislative Aid, Pamela Powers, who worked for Maryland Delegate Tawana Gaines when her daughter died.