Warnings are being issued regarding the life-threatening danger of inhaling butane gas — with drug agencies noticing a resurgence in recent years.
Drug users are buying aerosols and lighter refills and inhaling the butane as a cheap intoxicant.
The trend seems to be prevalent among people living on the streets and those in hostel accommodation.
The practice is described as “unpredictable and highly risky” and has been linked to Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS), which affects the heart. The person experiences cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular beating.
The Ana Liffey Drug Project said it has witnessed “a worrying increase” in the inhalation of butane gas.
It said butane was cheap and widely available and that users report an immediate ‘drunk-like’ intoxication and a ‘euphoria’.
“Using inhalants such as butane gas is not a new phenomenon; however, we have seen a resurgence in its use in recent years amongst people living on the streets and amongst people in hostel accommodation,” said Ana Liffey director Tony Duffin.
Source: Cormac O'Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 25/08/15
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