Special Report: Hidden High

Maeleen Cardoni/ Shannon’s Mom
"She was very smart. She did very well in school. No marijuana, no cocaine, Meth nothing."

Maeleen Cardoni taught her daughter Shannon to say 'no' to drugs.

But the one danger not on her parental radar "dusting" inhaling compressed gas from computer cleaners to get an instant high by penetrating their brain with toxic poisons.

Just a few months ago, this hidden addiction ended Shannon's life at only 19 years old.

Maeleen Cardoni/ Shannon’s Mom
"I was not aware of the things that kids were doing with this."

Dramatized in the film "13" dusting is the latest chapter in the problem of inhalant abuse where kids get high off of household products like glue or air fresheners.

1 out of every 13 9th through 12th graders in Massachusetts has inhaled gases or vapors from common household products like computer cleaners.

Howard Wolfe/ New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition
"It can kill the first time or anytime and we call that sudden sniffing death where kids have a heart arrhythmia and they just literally drop dead."

15 year old Ben Goodberg learned the hard way just how crippling dusting can be.

Ben Goodberg/ Former addict
"I couldn't move for three to four minutes, and I was staring at a door thinking I wanted to get up and go touch it but I couldn't do anything.

Some stores won't sell computer cleaners unless you're 18 or older. And there are safer alternatives like dusting spray made with carbon dioxide. But the best prevention comes from parents.

Talk to your kids about the dangers.

Plus, keep an eye out for frequent use and signs of misuse like irritability, mood swings, rashes or dilated pupils.

Shannon's mom hopes parents hear this warning so they can protect their kids from this hidden high.

Maeleen Cardoni/ Shannon’s Mom
"I don't want another parent or family to feel the hurt and the grief and the loss I have and my family has."

Related Links:

New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition

Massachusetts Inhalant Abuse Task Force

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