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(ARA) - Tracy Franklin, who lives outside Columbus, Ohio, and Diane Stem, from Old Hickory, Tenn., have never met. But they share a common bond -- a common pain. Both have lost their only sons to inhalant abuse. Each could eloquently speak for the other as they describe the branding iron-hot pain that greets them every day . . . but on some days it is more poignant than others. Mother’s Day is one such a day, one of the many annual reminders of a life cut short so senselessly. Tracy’s beloved son and only child, Michael, died March 14, 2004, and her battle with the calendar throughout the year is a daily challenge. Ricky Stem died June 20, 1996. Diane says the succession of holidays, birthdays, and of course the darkest day . . . the date of her son’s death, does not get easier with time. “You wonder what he would look like, what he would say, what interests he would be pursuing,” she says.
Inhalant abuse is one of those “kid” activities that some parents view as harmless. It includes deeply inhaling chemicals found in more than 1,400 different products found in every home, school, church and garage. Called “huffing,” it produces a short-term “high” that can exact a terrible toll including sudden death, which is how Michael Franklin and Ricky Stem died. Michael was hooked on all sorts of products, including gasoline, air fresheners and computer cleaning compounds. Ricky inhaled Freon from the Stem's central air conditioning system.
More than 25 percent of sixth graders report having engaged in this dangerous activity. They don’t know about the long-term health problems it can cause, including brain, liver and kidney damage. Nor do they realize that first time abusers are as likely to experience a deadly heart attack as those who have been huffing for longer periods of time. They also don’t know that the addiction is hard to overcome or that inhalant abuse is often the training ground for use of illegal substances and alcohol.
Diane Stem laments that she did not even know what huffing was until Ricky died. “We warned him about alcohol and illegal substances. If we had only known about inhalants we could have talked with him and he would be alive today,” Diane says. “We didn’t know.”
Tracy Franklin DID know about inhalants. In one of life’s sad ironies, she is an undercover police officer dealing with illegal substances every day. “Even when you know about huffing,” she says, “you often miss the subtle signs of abuse.” Her tip off was lots of aerosol cans in Michael’s bedroom, along with the fact that the gasoline container in the garage never seemed to be where she had left it after refilling the lawn mower.
Tracy took action, working with counselors, teachers and church officials to make sure Michael got the support and help he needed to overcome his addiction. He died the night before he was to have entered a rehabilitation facility. Franklin was so motivated by her son’s death that she participated in February at the announcement of a special program, available free to guidance counselors across the country, to help educate parents about inhalant abuse. She wrote a letter, read by Hope Taft, First Lady of Ohio, in which she described her struggle to save her son from himself. “I still cannot speak publicly about his death,” she said, “but I wanted to communicate to other parents, to make them aware of the dangers. Mrs. Taft was kind enough to read my letter. I hope parents listened. I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this experience.”
The Alliance for Consumer Education, a Washington, D.C.-based foundation, in collaboration with the American School Counselor Association and its state chapters, knows Diane Stem and Tracy Franklin well. Cindi Bookout, its executive director, works to make sure their stories are told so that other parents will be spared their pain. “Our goal is to make materials available that will help educate parents of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age about inhalant abuse.”
The organization also offers advice on its Web site (www.inhalant.org) and partners with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. “We want parents to know the warning signs, subtle though they are, and to talk to their children about the dangers of inhalant abuse whenever they discuss alcohol and illegal substance abuse.” Guidance counselors can get the free program by faxing a request to (202) 872-8114 or by visiting the ACE Web site (www.inhalant.org). Bookout notes that guidance counselors have embraced the turnkey program enthusiastically. “We are encouraged by their overwhelming response.”
Diane Stem and Tracy Franklin support such efforts to reach parents. Diane says, “I’m committed to telling everyone who will listen about inhalant abuse.” Tracy shares this desire. “This is my second Mother’s Day without my beautiful son,” she says. “It is a reminder to us all that our children are so precious, yet so vulnerable, and we must do whatever we can to be aware and to protect them, sometimes from themselves. Helping parents talk to their children is the key.”
Courtesy of ARA Content
