Heads up for parents.....
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From: Where my hat is
Heads up for parents.....
And yes, a warning to the kids as well....
I've seen this a couple of times in my email, but couldn't be bothered to verify the acuracy. Today, I finally got off my duff and checked. It's "Snopes" verified and gives a good reminder that we, as parents, need to be constantly aware of what our kids are doing.
Now this isn't a post to have everyone toss out their cans of Dust Off. It's nothing more than a reminder that even something as innocent as compressed air, may not be so innocent.
This is taken from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on the propellant used:
Again, this is nothing more than a heads up. And for you kids out there, 22% of all inhalant-abuse deaths occur among users who had not previously bagged or huffed. Want to take that almost 1 in 4 chance that your first time will be your last? Think about it.
I've seen this a couple of times in my email, but couldn't be bothered to verify the acuracy. Today, I finally got off my duff and checked. It's "Snopes" verified and gives a good reminder that we, as parents, need to be constantly aware of what our kids are doing.
First IM going to tell you a little about me and my family. My name is Jeff. I am a Police Officer for a city which is known nationwide for its crime rate. We have a lot of gangs and drugs. At one point we were # 2 in the nation in homicides per capita. I also have a police K-9 named Thor. He was certified in drugs and general duty. He retired at 3 years old because he was shot in the line of duty. He lives with us now and I still train with him because he likes it. I always liked the fact that there was no way to bring drugs into my house. Thor wouldn't allow it. He would tell on you. The reason I say this is so you understand that I know about drugs. I have taught in schools about drugs. My wife asks all our kids at least once a week if they used any drugs. Makes them promise they wont.
I like building computers occasionally and started building a new one in February 2005. I also was working on some of my older computers. They were full of dust so on one of my trips to the computer store I bought a 3 pack of DUST OFF. Dust Off is a can of compressed air to blow dust off a computer. A few weeks later when I went to use them they were all used. I talked to my kids and my 2 sons both said they had used them on their computer and messing around with them. I yelled at them for wasting the 10 dollars I paid for them. On February 28 I went back to the computer store. They didn't have the 3 pack which I had bought on sale so I bought a single jumbo can of Dust Off. I went home and set it down beside my computer.
On March 1st I left for work at 10 PM. At 11 PM my wife went down and kissed Kyle goodnight. At 530 am the next morning Kathy went downstairs to wake Kyle up for school, before she left for work. He was sitting up in bed with his legs crossed and his head leaning over. She called to him a few times to get up. He didn't move. He would sometimes tease her like this and pretend he fell back asleep. He was never easy to get up. She went in and shook his arm. He fell over. He was pale white and had the straw from the Dust Off can coming out of his mouth. He had the new can of Dust Off in his hands. Kyle was dead.
I am a police officer and I had never heard of this. My wife is a nurse and she had never heard of this. We later found out from the coroner, after the autopsy, that only the propellant from the can of Dust off was in his system. No other drugs. Kyle had died between midnight and 1 Am.
I found out that using Dust Off is being done mostly by kids ages 9 through 15. They even have a name for it. It's called dusting. A take off from the Dust Off name. It gives them a slight high for about 10 seconds. It makes them dizzy. A boy who lives down the street from us showed Kyle how to do this about a month before. Kyle showed his best friend. Told him it was cool and it couldn't hurt you. Its just compressed air. It cant hurt you. His best friend said no.
Kyle's death
Kyle was wrong. It's not just compressed air. It also contains a propellant. I think its R2. Its a refrigerant like what is used in your refrigerator. It is a heavy gas. Heavier than air. When you inhale it, it fills your lungs and keeps the good air, with oxygen, out. That's why you feel dizzy, buzzed. It decreases the oxygen to your brain, to your heart. Kyle was right. It cant hurt you. IT KILLS YOU. The horrible part about this is there is no warning. There is no level that kills you. It's not cumulative or an overdose; it can just go randomly, terribly wrong. Roll the dice and if your number comes up you die. ITS NOT AN OVERDOSE. Its Russian roulette. You don't die later. Or not feel good and say I've had too much. You usually die as your breathing it in. If not you die within 2 seconds of finishing "the hit." That's why the straw was still in Kyle's mouth when he died. Why his eye's were still open.
The experts want to call this huffing. The kids don't believe its huffing. As adults we tend to lump many things together. But it doesn't fit here. And that's why its more accepted. There is no chemical reaction. no strong odor. It doesn't follow the huffing signals. Kyle complained a few days before he died of his tongue hurting. It probably did. The propellant causes frostbite. If I had only known.
Its easy to say hay, its my life and I'll do what I want. But it isn't. Others are always effected. This has forever changed our family's life. I have a hole in my heart and soul that can never be fixed. The pain is so immense I cant describe it. There's nowhere to run from it. I cry all the time and I don't ever cry. I do what I'm supposed to do but I don't really care. My kids are messed up. One wont talk about it. The other will only sleep in our room at night. And my wife, I cant even describe how bad she is taking this. I thought we were safe because of Thor. I thought we were safe because we knew about drugs and talked to our kids about them.
After Kyle died another story came out. A Probation Officer went to the school system next to ours to speak with a student. While there he found a student using Dust Off in the bathroom. This student told him about another student who also had some in his locker. This is a rather affluent school system. They will tell you they don't have a drug problem there. They don't even have a dare or plus program there. So rather than tell everyone about this "new" way of getting high they found, they hid it. The probation officer told the media after Kyle's death and they, the school, then admitted to it. I know that if they would have told the media and I had heard, it wouldn't have been in my house.
We need to get this out of our homes and school computer labs.
Using Dust Off isn't new and some "professionals" do know about. It just isn't talked about much, except by the kids. They know about it.
April 2nd was 1 month since Kyle died. April 5th would have been his 15th birthday. And every weekday I catch myself sitting on the living room couch at 2:30 in the afternoon and waiting to see him get off the bus. I know Kyle is in heaven but I cant help but wonder If I died and went to Hell.
Jeff
I like building computers occasionally and started building a new one in February 2005. I also was working on some of my older computers. They were full of dust so on one of my trips to the computer store I bought a 3 pack of DUST OFF. Dust Off is a can of compressed air to blow dust off a computer. A few weeks later when I went to use them they were all used. I talked to my kids and my 2 sons both said they had used them on their computer and messing around with them. I yelled at them for wasting the 10 dollars I paid for them. On February 28 I went back to the computer store. They didn't have the 3 pack which I had bought on sale so I bought a single jumbo can of Dust Off. I went home and set it down beside my computer.
On March 1st I left for work at 10 PM. At 11 PM my wife went down and kissed Kyle goodnight. At 530 am the next morning Kathy went downstairs to wake Kyle up for school, before she left for work. He was sitting up in bed with his legs crossed and his head leaning over. She called to him a few times to get up. He didn't move. He would sometimes tease her like this and pretend he fell back asleep. He was never easy to get up. She went in and shook his arm. He fell over. He was pale white and had the straw from the Dust Off can coming out of his mouth. He had the new can of Dust Off in his hands. Kyle was dead.
I am a police officer and I had never heard of this. My wife is a nurse and she had never heard of this. We later found out from the coroner, after the autopsy, that only the propellant from the can of Dust off was in his system. No other drugs. Kyle had died between midnight and 1 Am.
I found out that using Dust Off is being done mostly by kids ages 9 through 15. They even have a name for it. It's called dusting. A take off from the Dust Off name. It gives them a slight high for about 10 seconds. It makes them dizzy. A boy who lives down the street from us showed Kyle how to do this about a month before. Kyle showed his best friend. Told him it was cool and it couldn't hurt you. Its just compressed air. It cant hurt you. His best friend said no.
Kyle's death
Kyle was wrong. It's not just compressed air. It also contains a propellant. I think its R2. Its a refrigerant like what is used in your refrigerator. It is a heavy gas. Heavier than air. When you inhale it, it fills your lungs and keeps the good air, with oxygen, out. That's why you feel dizzy, buzzed. It decreases the oxygen to your brain, to your heart. Kyle was right. It cant hurt you. IT KILLS YOU. The horrible part about this is there is no warning. There is no level that kills you. It's not cumulative or an overdose; it can just go randomly, terribly wrong. Roll the dice and if your number comes up you die. ITS NOT AN OVERDOSE. Its Russian roulette. You don't die later. Or not feel good and say I've had too much. You usually die as your breathing it in. If not you die within 2 seconds of finishing "the hit." That's why the straw was still in Kyle's mouth when he died. Why his eye's were still open.
The experts want to call this huffing. The kids don't believe its huffing. As adults we tend to lump many things together. But it doesn't fit here. And that's why its more accepted. There is no chemical reaction. no strong odor. It doesn't follow the huffing signals. Kyle complained a few days before he died of his tongue hurting. It probably did. The propellant causes frostbite. If I had only known.
Its easy to say hay, its my life and I'll do what I want. But it isn't. Others are always effected. This has forever changed our family's life. I have a hole in my heart and soul that can never be fixed. The pain is so immense I cant describe it. There's nowhere to run from it. I cry all the time and I don't ever cry. I do what I'm supposed to do but I don't really care. My kids are messed up. One wont talk about it. The other will only sleep in our room at night. And my wife, I cant even describe how bad she is taking this. I thought we were safe because of Thor. I thought we were safe because we knew about drugs and talked to our kids about them.
After Kyle died another story came out. A Probation Officer went to the school system next to ours to speak with a student. While there he found a student using Dust Off in the bathroom. This student told him about another student who also had some in his locker. This is a rather affluent school system. They will tell you they don't have a drug problem there. They don't even have a dare or plus program there. So rather than tell everyone about this "new" way of getting high they found, they hid it. The probation officer told the media after Kyle's death and they, the school, then admitted to it. I know that if they would have told the media and I had heard, it wouldn't have been in my house.
We need to get this out of our homes and school computer labs.
Using Dust Off isn't new and some "professionals" do know about. It just isn't talked about much, except by the kids. They know about it.
April 2nd was 1 month since Kyle died. April 5th would have been his 15th birthday. And every weekday I catch myself sitting on the living room couch at 2:30 in the afternoon and waiting to see him get off the bus. I know Kyle is in heaven but I cant help but wonder If I died and went to Hell.
Jeff
This is taken from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on the propellant used:
Chemical Family: Ethane, 1,1-Difluoro
3. Hazard Identification
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:
Higher exposures may lead to irritation of nose, throat, and lungs with cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, temporary alteration of the heart’s electrical activity with irregular pulse, palpitations, or inadequate circulation, or abnormal kidney function as detected by laboratory tests. Gross over exposure may be fatal.
Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
Individual with preexisting diseases of the central nervous, cardiovascular system, lungs, or kidneys may have increased susceptibility to the toxicity of excessive exposures.
3. Hazard Identification
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:
Higher exposures may lead to irritation of nose, throat, and lungs with cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, temporary alteration of the heart’s electrical activity with irregular pulse, palpitations, or inadequate circulation, or abnormal kidney function as detected by laboratory tests. Gross over exposure may be fatal.
Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
Individual with preexisting diseases of the central nervous, cardiovascular system, lungs, or kidneys may have increased susceptibility to the toxicity of excessive exposures.
Banned
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It's sorta ironic that you post this today because I was carded at O'reilly's for buying spray paint. Apparently they have to card now for windshield washer fluid, spray praint, starting fluid, brake cleaner, WD-40, and pretty much anything else that has a propellant and could get you high. I think it's very sad that things have come to this point. It's very true though what you posted. While I myself have never sniffed anything more than the occasional exhaust fume from a top fuel dragster, I worry about my sister. She is very susceptible to peer pressure and it scares me to think that she might wind up like this. Parents, talk to your kids. Please. I'm 19 almost 20 and the only thing that has kept me away from drugs is because of my parents. I know this sounds like a commerical but it's true. It really does make a difference.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: East Central OK
I found out the hard way that the canned keyboard duster is extremely flammable as well.
Not having compressed air handy one fall as I got ready to light the furnace, I just used the handy can of keyboard duster to dislodge the dust from the furnace. 30 seconds later when I stuck the lit match into the furnace to light the pilot light, the furnace went BOOM and a ball of fire hit me in the chest.
No harm done to me aside from a few singed hairs and being quite startled but I did have to spend the next 2 hours resecuring the internal heat shields that had been blown loose. I wonder if you had been watching from outside if the chimney lid would have jumped? 
Not trying to detract from the drug/huffing issue - just a reminder that you/we need to read the labels. The part about it settling in your lungs and displacing the oxygen somewhat reminds me of the warnings about the halon fire extinguishers. It's heaver than air too and will kill you if you breathe it.
Thanks for the warning.
Not having compressed air handy one fall as I got ready to light the furnace, I just used the handy can of keyboard duster to dislodge the dust from the furnace. 30 seconds later when I stuck the lit match into the furnace to light the pilot light, the furnace went BOOM and a ball of fire hit me in the chest.
No harm done to me aside from a few singed hairs and being quite startled but I did have to spend the next 2 hours resecuring the internal heat shields that had been blown loose. I wonder if you had been watching from outside if the chimney lid would have jumped? Not trying to detract from the drug/huffing issue - just a reminder that you/we need to read the labels. The part about it settling in your lungs and displacing the oxygen somewhat reminds me of the warnings about the halon fire extinguishers. It's heaver than air too and will kill you if you breathe it.
Thanks for the warning.
Tire Hater
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Laredo, Texas
When I was in high school, it was quite popular. There was one braindead kid there that would do it in class all the time. I remember one time, he froze his tongue to his back molar, and couldn't get it off for a good 2-3 minutes. Another time he froze his cheek to the same tooth. The fact is, anything now days can kill you, intentional misuse or not.
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From: SunnyVale Trailer Park
Originally posted by BigBlue
It's sorta ironic that you post this today because I was carded at O'reilly's for buying spray paint. Apparently they have to card now for windshield washer fluid, spray praint, starting fluid, brake cleaner, WD-40, and pretty much anything else that has a propellant and could get you high. I think it's very sad that things have come to this point. It's very true though what you posted. While I myself have never sniffed anything more than the occasional exhaust fume from a top fuel dragster, I worry about my sister. She is very susceptible to peer pressure and it scares me to think that she might wind up like this. Parents, talk to your kids. Please. I'm 19 almost 20 and the only thing that has kept me away from drugs is because of my parents. I know this sounds like a commerical but it's true. It really does make a difference.
It's sorta ironic that you post this today because I was carded at O'reilly's for buying spray paint. Apparently they have to card now for windshield washer fluid, spray praint, starting fluid, brake cleaner, WD-40, and pretty much anything else that has a propellant and could get you high. I think it's very sad that things have come to this point. It's very true though what you posted. While I myself have never sniffed anything more than the occasional exhaust fume from a top fuel dragster, I worry about my sister. She is very susceptible to peer pressure and it scares me to think that she might wind up like this. Parents, talk to your kids. Please. I'm 19 almost 20 and the only thing that has kept me away from drugs is because of my parents. I know this sounds like a commerical but it's true. It really does make a difference.
I have never done drugs , or any sort , i don't really even go for the cold ones that much , i just don't feel the need , i am happy enough now
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From: Waycross, GA
Another thing that you can do with the Dust bloweing cans, is turn it upsie down, and it will freeze anything that you shoot it at. You know you can nuke a roach and it will not die, but them suckers can not be chrioginically frozen...
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From: League City, TX
I have never felt the need to suck the gas from a can (other than whats left of the nitrous oxide in a can of whipped cream ). I also knew guys that did that. Quite lame IMO, I think they called it whippets.
). I also knew guys that did that. Quite lame IMO, I think they called it whippets.
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From: near Magnolia, Tx.
These days there is so much info on the internet about how to destroy your mind using everyday, ordinary things. Can't say that I didn't "experiment" when I was younger, but only with things that didn't require a chemical degree to decipher.
PISTOL
PISTOL
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From: Where my hat is
Gasoline and spray paint already are foul. Doesn't stop 'em.
This was posted just as a heads up to parents as a reminder to be aware of what their kids are up to. I know I didn't read the label on cans of compressed air. Figured it was just compressed air.
This was posted just as a heads up to parents as a reminder to be aware of what their kids are up to. I know I didn't read the label on cans of compressed air. Figured it was just compressed air.
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From: AZ
the compressed air i use says can cause heart irregularities, unconsciousness or death.. sounds fun to me!
Contents:
Tetrafluorethane and dimethyl ether.... hrm... sounds scrumdiddlyumptscious!
Theres some more on it at:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_dust_off.htm
Contents:
Tetrafluorethane and dimethyl ether.... hrm... sounds scrumdiddlyumptscious!
Theres some more on it at:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_dust_off.htm
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From: SW Lower Michigan
Originally posted by jrs_dodge_diesel
(other than whats left of the nitrous oxide in a can of whipped cream ). I also knew guys that did that. Quite lame IMO, I think they called it whippets.
(other than whats left of the nitrous oxide in a can of whipped cream
). I also knew guys that did that. Quite lame IMO, I think they called it whippets.
Never did try it and always wondered what it did.
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From: so cal
i got lucky once. when i was a rookie a/c tech the drain pan on a large rooftop unit at a chevy dealership was clogged. i got my trusty jug of r22 and started blowing the clogg through. man this was a tuff clogg so i had half my body in the unit with the jug wide open with the hose shooting it down the condensate pipe. i actually woke up 3hrs later on my back wondering what the hell am i doing here? took awhile to get my marbles back and yes, that was the last time i did that. now i carry the insta-shot co2 cartriges.
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From: League City, TX
Originally posted by c172driver
Used to know a lady bartender friend that did the empty whipped cream can thing behind the bar Never did try it and always wondered what it did.
Used to know a lady bartender friend that did the empty whipped cream can thing behind the bar
Never did try it and always wondered what it did.