Low costs and accessibility have made inhalant substance abuse most appealing to younger crowds, despite low occurrences in DeKalb, experts said.

“The amount of inhalant abuse in DeKalb is a very small percentage, but we are seeing it in some of our young adolescents”, said Michael Flora, president and CEO at the Ben Gordon Center, 12 Health Services Drive.

Adolescents use inhalants more than any other age group. A youth study conducted by the Illinois Department of Human Services on substance abuse in eighth, 10th and 12th grade students shows the number of inhalant abusers peaked at eighth grade, Flora said.

“The usage has always been low, but it is getting even lower,” said Steve Lux, University Health Services health educator.

A study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse showed 9.1 percent of eighth grade students have abused an inhalant in the past year, although the number has declined every year since 1999.

Inhalants are household products such as lighter fluids, paint thinners and glues that are abused when people inhale them through the mouth or nose to produce an intoxicating effect, said Edward Heard, a substance abuse specialization counselor for NIU.

Heard said the low cost of inhalants, along with the lack of legislation prohibiting the sale of such products to minors, makes inhalants accessible and abused by a number of people.

“I think young people try them because it’s easier to get their hands on them,” Heard said. “And it’s a way for them to take risks that are within their reach and grasp.”

Despite their accessibility, experts said there are serious health risks.

“It is highly addictive, but it also has the opportunity for kids to really get in over their heads with permanent brain damage, stroke, heart attack or cognitive problems,” Flora said.

Inhalants sometimes appear to be an innocent risk because they are over the counter, but the side effects can get serious, from heart issues and suffocation to loss of consciousness and potential death. Psychologically, it can make people impulsive and aggressive and decrease attention span, Heard said.

Intensive outpatient treatment for inhalant abuse has shown high success rates, Flora said.

“Parents and kids need to understand that treatment is available and it does work,” he said.