Photo By Master Sgt. Jennifer Seidl | Huffing may seem like a quick way to get high, but it can be detrimental to your...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Inhalant abuse, otherwise known as huffing, can cause death or brain-damage on the first use. Huffing involves inhaling chemical vapors to reach an altered mental or physical state.
"One of the problems with huffing is that the chemicals are readily available," said Maj. Craig Goolsby, 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group emergency physician. "It happens both at home and in the deployed environment."
There are many different substances that can be used.
"The ultimate danger of huffing is death," said Goolsby, who is deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
"Huffing can also affect the brain, cause depression, paranoia, anxiety and cardiac symptoms," added Lt. Col. Rene Melendez, 332nd EMDG medical staff chief, who is also deployed from Lackland AFB.
Additionally, huffing can cause permanent damage such as loss of function or thought process by suffocating brain cells. These effects cannot be healed; the brain-damage is permenent.
"There is nothing safe about huffing," said Goolsby, who is originally from Santa Rosa, Calif.
Signs that someone could be huffing include being withdrawn or in an altered mental state or having agitated behavior. Someone who is huffing may also be seen buying, storing, hording or possessing items such as canned air, paint thinner, acetone, or fuel.
In addition to serious health problems, huffing also leads to legal problems.
Huffing is prohibited by Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can result in Article 15 non-judicial punishment or a court-martial. Non-judicial punishments include reduction in rank and forfeitures of money and court-martial can lead to confinement.
"In addition to leading to potential confinement, reduction in rank and forfeiture of money, it will end your career," said Capt. Jeffrey Garber, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Judge Advocate office.
According to Garber, the consequences of huffing do not stop when you leave the military. They have an adverse affect on your life for an extended period of time.
"Being discharged for the misconduct of drug use can lead to a negative discharge characterization that will affect your ability to gain benefits or seek certain types of employment in the future," continued Garber, who is deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
For more information, contact Mental Health at 433-7421.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2011 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 77434 |
| Location: | SALAH AD DIN, IQ |
| Web Views: | 296 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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