I have a 43 year old friend who has Croyns Diasease and became addicted to perscription drugs. He has now become addicted to huffing or dusting. He has been in rehab 4 times and everytime he cycles out and does it again. It is nothing for him to do 25 to 30 cans straight before he falls out and has to be hospitalized and then sent to rehab for 10 days then the cycle starts again. At this rate, especially after what I have read, he probably will kill himself with this computer duster stuff. His Mother stays in despair constantly over this and we are helpless to do anything for him because of his age. I can not beleive that this product continues to be sold so freely. The manufacturers obviously know that they aren't enjoying their record sales because everyone is cleaning thier computers this much. Come on! They have to know. Putting a danger warning on the can is useless as well as limiting the number of cans or the age. I read on here where a lady asked if anyone has gone after the manufacturers and retailers who are knowly selling "death" in a can and I didn't read any answer to her question. Has anyone? Where are the politicians in this discussion? I have spoke with the store managers at Walmart, Office Depot and Staples where he is buying this crap and they all admitted they knew what this stuff is capable of but passed the buck to corporate. To me this is no different than selling a drunk whiskey knowing he is drunk because it is obvious he is impaired and they ring him right up to drive away. Is it going to take the deaths of an important person's child or some other innocent person in a car crash somewhere to get someone's attention?

My friend is now in the hospital in serious condition and we found "50" that's right "50" empty cans in his floor that he huffed over a 3 to 4 day period. He bought out the supply of all the retailers in the area apparently in his town of 50,000 people. He was buying them 3 - 2-packs at a time, you think office max thought this drunk looking guy was cleaning that many computers? I don't think so. SO what is inhalant.org doing in this whole thing? Mr. Moderator why don't you fill me in on how the fight is going to have this crap banned or at least controlled and these fat cats being held accountable.  

Thank you very much for your reply. There is no doubt that the support that your site provides is very valuable to users and their families and friends. I commend you and all your volunteers for their efforts. I can't help but believe that education at the retail level would be important to fighting this problem. If you take away the excuse of ignorance from these retailers and manufacturers then accountablity shouldn't be far behind. To that end, is there any printed material directed toward retailers explaining the dangers of these products and warning them of the dangers of the sale of these products to impaired customers? If so,could you please let me know. 

It Is Not Just “Canned Air”

(Her Picture)

Jennifer Wigley

Nov. 1, 1972-Dec. 28, 2009

 “It is addictive…I can’t go into a store anymore… it is legal.” –Jennifer Wigley

·        Computer dusting spray is increasingly being abused by both children and adults.

·        Computer dusting spray is highly addictive and often fatal.

·        Computer dusting spray is an accessible, inexpensive and legal way to get high.

I am writing this for Tylersmom and the others who have replied to her posts. First let me say my heart goes out to both Tylersmom and Cerrick and all the others here who have lost someone to huffing. I also know the pain. I lost my son Kyle on March 2^nd 2005. My wife went to wake him up for school and found him sitting up in bed with a can of Dust Off in his lap and a red straw sticking out of his mouth. It was the worst day of my life.

          Since that day I have learned a lot about inhalant abuse. I now give talks about inhalant abuse all over the country and I would like to share some of what I have learned and what I try to teach to others. I also want to correct a statement that was said but was not true. I am doing this because it is very important to me and I think everyone will understand once they read it.

          When Kyle first died I also wanted to ban Computer dusters. Then I learned that there are over 1400 different everyday household products that are abused as inhalants. There are well over 50 products right now on the shelves that use the exact same propellant as the computer dusters. How do we ban just one? I do know from being a police officer users will just go to a different product for their high. It won’t stop the abusers from getting high; it will only make them change the product that they are using. So how do we stop or slow down inhalant abuse. Study upon study show that the best way to fight inhalant abuse is through education. We must teach as many people as we can about how deadly inhalant abuse is. Many people, especially children, think it can’t hurt them. Hell, we teach them this ourselves when there little. How many of us have or have seen an adult take a balloon and then talk funny in front of kids. I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about without me going further into it. What did we just teach them? What we have to teach everyone is that most inhalants are a poison. They not only can hurt you, they will the very first time you use them. This will cut down on inhalant use and deaths.

          I am sure very few know that there is NO federal money earmarked for Inhalant abuse education. If were lucky, there are some trickle down funds that were assigned to overall drug abuse. What we need to be doing is calling our Congressman and demanding money for inhalant abuse education. Inhalant abuse is not dealt with in the Boy Scout handbook. It’s not in the Dare programs. It’s just not anywhere. We have to educate. This I can tell you. Most parents don’t know the signs of inhalant abuse. Most teachers don’t know the signs of inhalant abuse. Most Paramedics, Police Officers, Firefighter and Doctors don’t know the signs of inhalant abuse.

          I agree the fight here is huge. But with so few people and with so few resources to fight inhalant abuse we can’t afford to not be on a united front. It is undisputed that education will have the biggest effect on slowing inhalant abuse and that there is almost no money out there to fund any education programs. I honestly believe that this is what we need to be fighting for.

          I add this next part because it is important to me. I am sure you will understand if you read it. A few months after Kyle died I did a series of interviews. At this time there were no bitterants being added to any Duster products. This was one of the main points I was screaming about to anyone who would listen. There needed to be a bitterant added to this product. I fought and fought for it. Approximately six months after Kyle’s death I called Falcon (Dust Off) and spoke with Phil Lapin (CEO). I strongly expressed my feelings about adding a bitterant. Phil Lapin advised me that since Kyle’s death they were again going to try to add a bitterant to their product. Approximately six months later they succeeded. I have always felt that this was now part of Kyle’s legacy and it makes me feel as if Kyle didn’t die for nothing. I also have realized since this that while adding a bitterant will stop some from abusing dusters it will not stop all or maybe even most but I am sure it has made some difference.

          I also want to say this so everyone knows. I have worked with many people, organizations and company’s that help me give talks on inhalant abuse. I receive no money from any of them now nor never have or will. They do sometimes pay my travel expenses, (air and hotel) when I give a talk. I will list just a few that are related to this:

Falcon Safety Supply, (Dust Off ) limited and in the years right after Kyle’s death.

Alliance for Consumer Education.(ACE)  This site.  I am on the Board of Trustee’s and am setting up a resource site through them where people can go to get the basic very important information on inhalants and where people who have lost a love one to inhalants can post a web page to them.

National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.

I would gladly work with anyone who I believe really cares about stopping inhalant abuse deaths. Yes, that includes Falcon. I don’t care who they are as long as they are doing it for the right reasons. I would also stop working with anyone who I felt started acting in a self serving way or was using me to try to legitimize them. 

Vfellers,

              I am sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I went on vacation and just got back. I do understand about what you are saying about the retailers. Shortly after Kyle’s death I went into a Gamestop store and saw that they had a large bin hanging off the front of the counter containing computer dusters.  Hey could easily be stolen without anyone noticing. I called for the manager and told him about Kyle’s death and asked if he would move the computer dusters behind the counter. He advised me that they were located where corporate wanted them and he was not going to move them. I have not gone back in the store since. I personally do not think many stores really care who they sell to until pressure is put on them. The Today Show story and follow-up story on who 5 major stores sold to, got one store to stop selling computer dusters all together and the others to train their employee’s on the store’s policies regarding computer dusters.  I personally believe that these products should not be sold to anyone under 18. The problem is many stores who even have this policy do not enforce it. If enough of us get together and make enough noise we can get them to enforce their own policies or make ones that they should already have. Let’s get together and work on this. Email me at streetcop63@aol.com. We can get a workable plan together and then get the help of the other posters here. Retailers follow our money and voices. Let’s get their attention. A great side effect will be media attention, which will allow us to get information out about inhalant abuse.

                     Jeff Williams