Products described as canned air may seem harmless to
consumers, providing an easy way of clearing dust from keyboards and other
equipment. Yet what many do not realize is that the cans they buy really
contain toxic gases used as propellants that can present an array of hazards,
including air pollution, explosions and the potentially deadly effects of
inhalant abuse.
Inhalants are now regarded
as the second most commonly abused drug. “I’ve been told that it’s as addictive
as heroin,” says John Scherer, founder and CEO of Canless Air System, a product
line that offers safer alternatives to typical aerosol cleaners.
While inhalant abuse is not
a new problem, recent studies show that one in every five children has abused
inhalants by grade eight. According to Scherer, parents should not keep
hazardous products in their homes or garages and should talk to their teenagers
and younger children about the dangers of huffing. He believes it should not be
difficult to convince kids to refrain from such activities by explaining to
them that some individuals die the first time they inhale toxic substances,
depending on their lung capacity and other factors.
Huffing is generally thought
of as an issue that primarily impacts pre-teens and teenagers, yet adult abuse
occurs as well, many times by recovering drug and alcohol addicts seeking a
replacement substance to abuse. A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration showed that more than half of the patients who
were admitted for inhalant abuse treatment were 18 or older.
Scherer suspects many users
and abusers of the products are unaware that abusing them can be fatal,
regardless of the many warning labels mandated by EPA. In fact, when promoting
the toxin-free O2 Hurricane Canless Air System on GeekBeat TV, Scherer was
asked by interviewer John Pozadzides, “Are you telling me that when I run
around the office spraying my canned air in people’s faces just for fun, I
shouldn’t be doing that?”
In addition to buying safer
cleaning products, Scherer suggests following EPA’s guidelines for safe
disposal of hazardous materials, reading all warning labels on products prior
to purchasing them and having family discussions about household hazards.
“Talk to your kids,” Scherer
stresses, recalling recent news stories about fatal huffing incidents. “Have
the conversation.”