| Parents who think they are doing everything they | | | | or the tenth. |
| can to protect their children from drugs may not | | | | "March 2nd was the one-year anniversary of my |
| be aware of all the dangers found right in their | | | | son Kyle's death," said Officer Williams. "I'm a |
| own homes. More than 1,400 common household | | | | cop-I knew what to watch for when it came to |
| products are currently being abused by kids | | | | drugs and alcohol, but with this, I didn't recognize |
| across the country to get high. | | | | the signs, and that's the problem. Parents have to |
| Inhalants are easily accessible, legal, everyday | | | | know what to look for-if you don't know, you |
| products. When used as intended, these products | | | | can't stop it." |
| are completely harmless and have a useful | | | | The death of Kyle and the similar deaths of many |
| purpose in our lives, but when intentionally | | | | other children across the country are the reasons |
| misused and abused, they can be deadly. Most | | | | that the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition |
| parents and educators are in the dark regarding | | | | developed National Inhalants & Poisons |
| the popularity and dangers of inhalant abuse, and | | | | Awareness Week (NIPAW). An annual |
| unfortunately, the practice is becoming more | | | | community-level program that takes place in the |
| common and accepted among children. | | | | third week in March, NIPAW is designed to |
| According to national surveys, inhalant abuse is on | | | | increase understanding about the use and risks of |
| the rise, and poses a tremendous threat to all | | | | inhalant abuse. Program partners have included |
| those who engage in the practice. By the time a | | | | sponsors from state government agencies and |
| student reaches the 8th grade, one in five will | | | | associations, medical groups, the Partnership for a |
| have abused inhalants and more than 2 million kids | | | | Drug-Free America, police departments, DARE |
| aged 12-17 will have used some form of inhalant | | | | officers, the National Guard, PTO/PTA chapters, |
| to get high. | | | | Poison Control Centers, local medical communities |
| A recent case that illustrates the grave dangers | | | | and the media. |
| associated with inhalant abuse is that of Police | | | | This year, Jeff Williams is honoring his son's |
| Officer Jeff Williams of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. | | | | memory by helping to educate people about the |
| Williams repeatedly warned his children about the | | | | dangers and warning signs associated with inhalant |
| dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, and despite | | | | abuse. His goal is to help prevent other families |
| owning a retired police K-9 trained and certified in | | | | from experiencing what he and his family have |
| drug detection, he was uninformed on the issue | | | | endured. |
| and wasn't aware of the warning signs. His | | | | "Nothing I can do can bring Kyle back, but what I |
| 14-year-old son Kyle had a bright future and was | | | | can do is help other families avoid suffering the |
| about as normal and healthy as any parent would | | | | same pain and loss that my family did. Parents |
| want their son to be, until he died suddenly after | | | | need to understand that education is the key in |
| deliberately inhaling a computer keyboard cleaner | | | | helping prevent inhalant abuse in their household |
| to get high. What Kyle didn't know is that inhalant | | | | and communicating the dangers to their loved |
| abuse can be more than a cheap high, it can | | | | ones," concluded Officer Williams. |
| kill-whether the first time you try it, the second | | | | |