Teenager dies while attempting "dusting" high

Teenager dies while attempting "dusting" high

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By Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A 14-year-old Salem boy inhaled spray from a can of cleaner used on computer keyboards and died, police said.

The cleaner used to blow dust out of keyboards and electronics contains difluoroethane, which is similar to freon, said Sgt. Tim Plummer of the Oregon State Police's drug recognition program.

"The high from the gas can paralyze the user for several seconds or minutes, giving them a feeling of euphoria," Plummer said. Using it has gained a nickname, "dusting," he said.

Nickolas Brown was found by his older brother in bed shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, and a can of the cleaner was near the boy, Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer said.

Plummer said hydrocarbons in the product can create a heart arrhythmia that leads to cardiac arrest, or they can displace oxygen in the user's lungs, causing asphyxiation. "One time you can get high off of it, and the next time the same user with the same substance can be dead," he said.

Inhalants, often household products, are the fourth-most commonly used substance abused by high school students in Oregon, said Claudia Wilcox, a state drug and alcohol counselor.

Students as young as fourth-graders have reported using inhalants, she said.

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