About 20 percent of U.S. teenagers admit they have gotten high by inhaling common household products.

FEWER TEENS REALIZE DANGERS OF "HUFFING"

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - About 20 percent of U.S. teenagers admit they have gotten high by inhaling common household products, and fewer understand the dangers of this practice compared with teenagers five years ago, according to a report released Monday.

The findings reflect a drop-off in educational efforts begun in the 1990s to combat the growth of inhalant abuse, says the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, which is publishing the report.

Sniffing or "huffing" vapors from ordinary products like glue, spray paint, nail polish remover and gasoline was once a "fringe" activity, said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership.

But by the mid-1990s, the practice had "exploded nationwide," he told Reuters Health, and even elementary school children were experimenting with the inhalants readily available under their kitchen sinks.

In 1995, the Partnership launched a large advertising campaign that was credited with boosting awareness of the dangers of inhalant abuse -- which include damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, vision, hearing and even sudden death from suffocation or heart arrhythmias.

More importantly, surveys found an accompanying decline in the percentage of kids who'd ever tried huffing, from 23 percent in 1995 to 18 percent in 2001.

But the new findings, based on a national survey of more than 7,200 teenagers and 1,200 parents, suggest awareness has waned and abuse is on the rise.

photo courtesy images.google.com & story courtesy cpyu.org, 04/24/06

Ephesians 5:18 - (NLT)

¹⁸Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.

WHAT DOES TODAY'S SCRIPTURE TEACH US ABOUT GETTING "HIGH"?

Even though Paul is talking about the use of alcohol, his instruction also applies to any other drug that influences the mind and body.  When I read today's story about 1 of every 5 American teenagers inhaling common household products, I felt compelled to warn you, whether you are a kid, a parent, or a grandparent.  This is scary stuff!

Some students are huffing or sniffing just to try it, but many are inhaling because they are stressed, lonely, giving in to peer pressure, or feeling hopeless.  Is this you?  Do you know someone like this?

Look at the notes from Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE:

5:18  Paul contrasts getting drunk with wine, which produces a temporary "high" to being filled with the Spirit, which produces lasting joy.  Getting drunk with wine is associated with the old way of life and its selfish desires.  In Christ, we have a better joy, higher and longer lasting, to cure our depression, monotony, or tension.  We should not be concerned with how much of the Holy Spirit we have but with how much of us the Holy Spirit has.  Submit yourself daily to his leading and draw constantly on his power.

If you have been able to say no to drug usage, thank God for His strength.  If you've been struggling with huffing, smoking, drinking, or some other drug, ask God for strength and for the courage to talk to someone to help you and hold you accountable.  Pray right now for a friend or family member who is struggling with the use of drugs and alcohol.  Ask Jesus to show you how to reach out and help.  Ask His Holy Spirit to fill and control you every day.

• If you've been struggling with using any kind of drug or with drinking, talk to your youth leader or pastor.  If you don't have one, ask a Christian friend to help you find help.
• Memorize Ephesians 5:18.
• Every day, pray for God's Holy Spirit to fill and control every part of your life.
• Every time you see a commercial about drinking, pray for someone you know is struggling.
• Warn your friends, peers, and children about huffing and look for the warning signs that go along with inhaling:

Signs of Abuse

• Drunk or disoriented appearance

• Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothing  

• Hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers and chemical-soaked rags or clothing

• Slurred speech  

• Strong chemical odors on breath or clothing  

• Nausea or loss of appetite  

• Red or runny nose  

• Sores or rash around the nose or mouth

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

DAILY DEVOS is brought to you by Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.

Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG.  Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college.  He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.