What does Huffing have to do with Your Air Conditioner?
What is huffing? Why?
Huffing is the term used for sniffing and inhaling a solvent. It’s extremely dangerous, poisonous and can lead to death, even the first time. The most common solvent “huffed” is a refrigerant called Freon. It is the trade name for a class of chemicals that makes things cold, so it’s used in air conditioning.
Other terms used for Huffing include coolant poisoning and sudden sniffing death syndrome. Huffing can produce a high that is similar to what is felt by drinking alcohol. It is sniffed from a container, a bag or something soaked in the chemical.
Symptoms and Dangers of Huffing
The symptoms of Huffing include:
- Swelling, pain and burning in the mouth, throat, nose, lips, tongue and esophagus.
- There can be vision loss, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, heart problems and brain damage.
- Huffing can freeze the lungs and lead to death.
Who is at risk?
Anyone Huffing is at risk, but it is often overlooked as a form of substance abuse in adolescents, teens and young adults. Because the chemicals can be found in some household products, they are more accessible to younger children and teens, the pre-adolescents and adolescents. Freon is being siphoned from air conditioning units.
Survey results consistently show that nearly 20 percent of children in middle school and high school have experimented with inhaled substances. (1)
Prevention
Prevention is the primary goal. Education for parents, educators and children is needed to explain the risks and symptoms. When talking to their children about alcohol, tobacco and drugs, parents should include a discussion about Huffing. If parents suspect a problem, they should get professional help immediately.
Stay tuned for the next subject about Huffing that will include information about locking your air conditioner, so the Freon can’t be siphoned out of the unit.
If you need your air conditioning, heating or plumbing systems repaired, you can count on A-1 American Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning for emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call now (757) 425-2400
This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. It does not include all of the information available. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) .
Source (1). 2001 Monitoring the future survey release. Smoking among teenagers decreases sharply and increase in ecstasy use slows. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HHS News; December 19, 2001. Retrieved July 3, 2003, from: www.nida.nih.gov/MedAdv/01/NR12-19.html.
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A-1 American provides Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing Services, like checking the Freon in your AC and heating unit for homes and businesses in the Hampton Roads Virginia cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton and north into Williamsburg. A-1 American provides emergency service and repair, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays. A-1 American charges by the job, not by the hour. A-1 American prides itself on immediate response, punctuality, courtesy and customer satisfaction. Call today 757-425-2400
