Dear Ann Landers: Recently, three of my daughter’s best friends, who were 16, 13 and 12 years of age, died a senseless death. They were home alone in a garage storage room that had very little ventilation. A flash fire started, and they died instantly. Police suspect the older girl was huffing gasoline, and a spark ignited gas that had spilled on the floor.
These three beautiful girls came from middle-class homes, and went to very good schools with excellent anti-drug programs. Two of the girls were sisters. They had their whole lives ahead of them. Please, Ann, warn young people about the dangers of sniffing glue and paint and huffing gas. If this letter can save just one life, the death of these children will not be in vain. Kathy in Oklahoma
Dear Kathy: My heart goes out to the parents of the girls you wrote about. I hope your letter will encourage concerned family members to pay more attention to what is going on in the lives of their children.
I have printed several letters about the dangers of inhalants. While use of inhalants has decreased nationally, some states, including Oklahoma, have actually seen an increase. There has also been a rise in the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) at college parties nationwide.
Inhalants include nitrous oxide, helium, aerosols, paint, cleaning solvents and gasoline. Inhalants work directly on the heart, the nervous system and other vital organs. The experts on the subject have made it abundantly clear that inhalants can be both addictive and deadly.
Nitrous oxide can produce permanent damage to the nervous system–this means the ability to see, hear, walk and talk. Helium, especially when inhaled from a tank or used long-term, can cause asphyxiation, permanent brain damage, massive pulmonary hemorrhaging and death.
Parents should discuss the dangers of inhalants with their children. They also should be alerted to obvious signs of inhalant abuse, such as paint stains on a child’s hands or face; chemical odors on breath, clothing or rags; and the rapid or “mysterious” disappearance of household aerosol or cleaning products. Parents should be careful about storing gasoline and other dangerous products in poorly ventilated garages or storage sheds. If inhalant use is suspected, parents should contact their local substance-abuse or mental-health organization for help.
March 19-25 is National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week. Anyone who is interested in joining a local campaign or would like to receive additional information on inhalants, should contact the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition at 1-800-269-4237 (www.inhalants.org).
Dear Ann Landers: What should I do about friends who make more money than I do, but don’t reciprocate when it comes to social invitations? These same people are always happy to accept my invitations for dinner and an evening of watching videos, but they never offer to bring food or pay for the movie rental. How should I handle this? Small-Town Lady
Dear Small-Town Lady: You can take seriously that Ann Landers admonition, “Nobody can take advantage of you without your permission.” When you invite friends for supper and a video, tell them it’s “potluck,” and suggest that they bring a casserole, potato salad, fried chicken or a dessert. In other words, give them the opportunity to reciprocate. Some people need this kind of “help.” If they refuse to pitch in, cross them off your guest list, because they are not guests, they are freeloaders.
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What can you give the person who has everything? Ann Landers’ booklet “Gems” is ideal for a nightstand or coffee table. “Gems” is a collection of Ann Landers’ most requested poems and essays. Send a self-addressed, long, business-size envelope and a check or money order for $5.25 (this includes postage and handling) to: Gems, c/o Ann Landers, P.O. Box 11562, Chicago, IL 60611-0562. (In Canada, send $6.25.) To find out more about Ann Landers and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
