PITTSBURGH Coroner warns of risks from huffing

People who huff often saturate a sock or a sleeve, then hold it against their nose.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Behind alcohol and tobacco, no other substances are abused as much by preteens in the United States as aerosol sprays or other commercial products that can be inhaled for a quick high.
Allegheny County Coroner Cyril Wecht said he wants the public to know that, because he didn't before researching the subject as he investigated the death of Rayshell Griffin, a 12-year-old Pittsburgh girl who died accidentally on Nov. 26 after "huffing" -- or purposely inhaling -- Glade air freshener.
Wecht said some 500 people nationwide have died from huffing in the past five years, a mere fraction of those who died from other drugs or alcohol.
Cause of death
Wecht confirmed Thursday that Rayshell died of an irregular heartbeat and acute bronchospasm -- akin to a serious asthma attack -- brought on by huffing. Her asthma also contributed to her death, which he said was an accident.
Wecht found no trace of the aerosol chemicals in the girl's blood or tissues, but said that's not surprising, because such substances dissipate quickly. As a result, his findings were based on circumstantial evidence provided by police and people who saw the girl before she died.
Pittsburgh police detectives learned that the girl picked up the air freshener at a store and brought it with her to a Thanksgiving party, which was attended by about 60 students and was held by the Beverly Jewel Wall Lovelace Youth Empowerment Program -- a community after-school program.
The girl was seen with her head on a table, covered by a coat. When a chaperone checked on her, the girl said she was OK and put her head back down on the table before having a seizure. She died that evening.
Evidence of huffing
Her clothes were later found to be saturated with air freshener, and the half-empty can was found inside her coat.
People who huff substances often do it by saturating a sock or a sleeve with the substance, and then holding their nose against it, Wecht said.
"For us to ignore that [evidence] and say she died of asthma, and the can of Glade being there was just a coincidence, that's absurd," Wecht said.
But he also said his research shows huffing can be difficult to detect, because the high lasts only a short time.
"Might have, would have, could have, should have -- I can't blame anyone," Wecht said. "Parents can't be criticized in this type of a situation. ... For each family, it's the world, it's the death of a child -- it's everything."
Huffing is particularly dangerous because there's no known "limit" at which it becomes fatal. The inhaled chemicals affect the brain and cause a euphoric effect, but an irregular heartbeat can also result, and people aren't known to build up a tolerance for the inhaled propellants -- like butane or propane -- making huffing as dangerous the first time it is tried as the 100th, Wecht said.
Rayshell was likely more susceptible to the ill effects because of her asthma, but "there's no way for us to go and say if she did not have [asthma] she would not have died," Wecht said.
The police and coroner have repeatedly reported that the girl was 10. The girl's mother refused to comment Wednesday except to correct her daughter's age during Wecht's news conference.