[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 27 (Monday, March 5, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 43--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD DESIGNATE THE WEEK OF MARCH 18 THROUGH MARCH 24, 2001,
AS ``NATIONAL INHALANTS AND POISONS AWARENESS WEEK''
Mr. MURKOWSKI (for himself, Mr. Daschle, and Mr. DeWine) submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary, as follows:
S. Res. 43
Whereas the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition has
declared the week of March 18 through March 24, 2001,
``National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week'';
Whereas inhalant abuse is nearing epidemic proportions,
with almost 20 percent of young people admitting to
experimenting with inhalants before graduating from high
school;
Whereas only 4 percent of parents suspect that their
children use inhalants;
Whereas inhalants are the third most popular substance used
by youths through the eighth grade, behind only alcohol and
tobacco;
Whereas 1,000 products can be inhaled to get high and those
products are legal, inexpensive, and found in nearly every
home and every corner market;
Whereas using inhalants only once can lead to kidney
failure, brain damage, and even death;
Whereas inhalants are considered a gateway drug, leading to
the use of harder, more deadly drugs;
Whereas inhalant use is difficult to detect, the products
used are accessible and affordable, and abuse is common; and
Whereas increased education of young people and parents
regarding the dangers of inhalants is an important step in
the battle against drug abuse: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION. 1. NATIONAL RESPONSE TO INHALANT USE.
(a) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate
that--
(1) the President should designate the week of March 18
through March 24, 2001, as ``National Inhalants and Poisons
Awareness Week''; and
(2) parents should learn about the dangers of inhalant
abuse and discuss those dangers with their children.
(b) Proclamation.--The Senate requests that the President
issue a proclamation--
(1) designating the week of March 18 through March 24,
2001, as ``National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week'';
and
(2) calling upon the people of the United States to observe
``National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week'' with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today Senators Daschle, DeWine and I
rise to introduce a resolution that will help fight a silent epidemic
among America's youth. This epidemic can leave young people permanently
brain damaged or, worse, dead. It is called inhalant abuse.
This resolution will designate the week of March 18 through March 24,
2001, as ``National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week.''
What exactly are inhalants? Inhalants are the intentional breathing
of gas or vapors for the purpose of reaching a high. Over 1,400 common
products can be abused, such as lighter fluid, pressurized whipped
cream, hair spray, and gasoline, the abused product of choice in rural
Alaska. These products are inexpensive, easily obtained and legal.
An inhalant abuse counselor told me, ``If it smells like a chemical,
it can be abused.''
It's a ``silent epidemic'' because few adults really appreciate the
severity of the problem: One in five students has tried inhalants by
the time they reach the eighth grade; use of inhalants by children has
nearly doubled in the last 10 years; and inhalants are the third most
abused substances among teenagers, behind alcohol and tobacco.
Inhalants are deadly. Inhalant vapors react with fatty tissues in the
brain, literally dissolving them. One time use of inhalants can cause
instant and permanent brain, heart, kidney, liver or other organ
damage. The user can also suffer from instant heart failure known as
``Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome,'' this means an abuser can die the
first, tenth or hundredth time he or she uses an inhalant.
In fact, according to a recent study by the Alaska Native Health
Consortium, inhaling has a higher risk of ``instant death'' than any
other abused substance.
That's what happened to Theresa, an 18-year old who lived in rural
Western Alaska. Theresa was inhaling gasoline; shortly thereafter, her
heart stopped. She was found alone and outside in near zero
temperatures. Theresa, who was the youngest of five children and just a
month shy of graduation, was flown to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital where
she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Two years ago in Pennsylvania, a teenage driver, with four teenage
passengers, lost control of her car in broad daylight. The car hit a
tree with such impact that all passengers were killed. High levels of a
chemical, found in computer keyboard cleaners, were found in the young
driver's body. A medical examiner's report cited ``impairment due to
inhalant abuse'' as the cause of the crash.
Mr. Haviland, the principal of the high school where the five girls
attended, said neither teachers nor school administrators ever
suspected that students were involved with inhalants.
Inhalants are considered a ``gateway'' to other illicit drug abuse.
Because these products are legal, affordable and their abuse is hard to
detect, awareness must be promoted among young people, parents and
educators. We hope that a national week of awareness will encourage
programs throughout the country, alerting parents and children to the
dangers of inhalants.
I ask my colleagues to support and cosponsor this resolution. This
national tragedy can be prevented through education and awareness.
Hopefully, this week of awareness will save a child's life, and end one
of our nation's silent epidemics.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
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