Leading the Way

Death by Dusting - 2

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Sadly, this is not an urban myth. On March 2, 2005, 14-year-old Kyle Williams of Painesville Township, Ohio died after inhaling Dust-Off. Kyle's father, Jeff is indeed a police officer in Cleveland, Ohio.
The message did not start out as an e-mail chain letter. Jeff Williams posted it on two smoking cessation web sites days after Kyle's death as a form of therapy for himself, as he told BreakTheChain.org:

“This did not start out as a e-mail. I posted a shorter letter like this one on a site I used to quit smoking a few years earlier. As I'm sure you can understand this was a time when I wanted to start smoking again. I went to this site for help. A teacher asked if she could read it to her class and I stated I would prefer to write another one. I wanted them to know Kyle, our family, and to be able to relate to what happened better. After I sent her the letter I also posted it to Quitnet.com and Silentgrief.com. From there it was copied and sent. It grew from there. I did not make this to send as a chain e-mail. I am glad it has become one though because I hope it will help someone else.”

Unfortunately, many people are under the mistaken impression that Dust-Off and similar products contain a seemingly harmless product - compressed air. In fact, such products are commonly referred to as "canned air". However, the products actually contain a compressed gas, NOT compressed air. Because of this misconception, parents and children may not realize how dangerous inhaling them can be.

Falcon, manufacturer of Dust-Off, is acutely aware of the deadly consequences facing people who misuse their product. It makes its concerns known on its website:
As a leading manufacturer of one of the world's most versatile aerosol products, Falcon recognizes that among the issues surrounding aerosol product distribution and usage is that of inhalant abuse or "huffing". It is imperative that consumers of aerosol products, parents and children all understand the seriousness of this practice.

And on the Dust-Off cans’ warning labels:
A cleaning duster is a serious product. Inhalant abuse is illegal and can cause permanent injury or be fatal. Please use our product responsibly.

There are serious physical and mental effects for teens and children that start ‘dusting’. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet for Dust-Off and other such aerosol products containing Difluoroethane:

Potential Health Effects:
Inhalation of high concentrations of vapor is harmful and may cause heart irregularities, unconsciousness, or death. Intentional misuse or deliberate inhalation may cause death without warning. Vapor reduces oxygen available for breathing and is heavier than air. Liquid contact can cause frostbite.

Human Health Effects:
Contact with the liquid may cause frostbite. Overexposure by inhalation may include nonspecific discomfort, such as nausea, headache, or weakness; or temporary nervous system depression with anesthetic effects such as dizziness, headache, confusion, incoordination and loss of consciousness. Higher exposures (>20%) may cause temporary lung irritation effects with cough, discomfort, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath-, or temporary alteration of the heart's electrical activity with irregular pulse, palpitations, or inadequate circulation, abnormal kidney function as detected by laboratory tests. Gross overexposure may be fatal.

Individuals with preexisting diseases of the central nervous or cardiovascular system may have increased susceptibility to the toxicity of excessive exposures. ‘

Frostbite, breathing problems, unconsciousness, heart palpitations, death – no parent wants his child to experience these effects. Being on guard against illicit drug use goes beyond pot or Meth. Educate yourself, share information with your family and make sure your supermarket purchases used the way they were meant to be – not as a means of getting high.