New trend: Huffing while driving

Police in Southern Utah are documenting what they say is a disturbing phenomenon. Over the past year, they've had reports of a half-dozen crashes caused by people getting high on inhalants and getting behind the wheel. In some cases, people were huffing while driving.

"They're using Dustoff, common-type chemicals like that while they're driving, getting high," St. George Police Officer James Schafer told Fox 13 News. "Therefore they black out and lose control of their vehicles and cause accidents, that type of thing."

St. George police said it is something they have only seen within the past year or two. Recently, a truck went off a bridge, crashing into a river bed. Inside, police found cans of electronics cleaners. Officers said they have seen cases where they've caught people sitting in a parked car, abusing inhalants.

The chemicals are legal, but health officials said the allure is partially in their availability.

"If you look around your own home, there are a lot of substances there that young people are using as inhalants," said Paula Price, a substance abuse prevention specialist with Weber Human Services in Ogden. "We think to talk to our kids about alcohol use, we think to talk to them about marijuana, maybe other substances, but a lot of times we don't think to talk to them about inhalants."

Price said the high is similar to being drunk. It's quick acting and police said it also fades quickly, making it hard to track instances of "driving while huffing."

"We'll find the remnants... and a lot of times unless they're injured from the accident, we'll respond to it and they'll be coming out of it by that time," Schafer said.