Key Points
Teens are engaging in a dangerous trend known as ‘dusting,’ which involves inhaling chemicals from an aerosol duster or keyboard cleaner.
Similar to huffing and chroming, dusting presents serious physical risks and can also result in death.
Part of the concern is how easily accessible these items are to teens. We turned to experts to recognize the signs of dusting and how to talk to your teen about this trend.
Recently, a Tempe, Arizona teenager, Renna Kay O’Rourke, engaged in a dangerous trend known as dusting—or inhaling chemicals from an aerosol duster or keyboard cleaner. This decision tragically ended her life, and her parents hope this terrible accident serves as a wake-up call for other families.
“We want to make sure that we use our tragedy so that no other parent has to experience looking at their child on life support and a ventilator and not breathing on her own…because she huffed out of a can,” Dana O’Rourke told Alive News this month.
These inhalants are easily accessible to teens and can be used under the radar—Renna and her boyfriend had the product delivered to her house by DoorDash. More importantly, dusting is dangerous and life-threatening. Inhaling these sprays can cause heart issues and other complications almost immediately in some cases. Here’s what experts say you need to know about dusting.
What Is Dusting?
According to Sylvie Stacy, MD, MPH, an addiction medicine specialist and chief medical officer at Rehab.com, dusting is a slang term for getting high by inhaling household dusting spray products. She says it’s a form of inhalant abuse, or breathing in the gases or vapors of chemicals.
“This type of getting high isn’t new—just the term ‘dusting’ is somewhat new and is getting used more,” says Dr. Stacy. “Inhaling household products that can cause a quick high is [a] common way for teens to explore substance use because the products are easy to obtain. Many of them are already in teens’ homes.”
She says things like whipped cream canisters, adhesives, paint thinners, spray paint, and keyboard dusters all may be used by teens for dusting (also known as huffing and chroming).
“Thankfully, inhalant abuse is not common,” she says. “Very few teens actually do it. [In fact,] less than 2% of teens report using inhalants in the last year based on 2022 data. About 30% of high school seniors have used marijuana in the past year, and 27% who vaped nicotine.”
How Are Teens Finding Out About Dusting?
Teenagers learn how to dust through social media, peer conversations, or even YouTube and TikTok videos that understate or exaggerate it, says Brooks Lape, co-founder of Start Your Recovery. “The use of drugs, including dusting, is greater than parents know among middle school and high school students because the products are affordable and easily accessible.”
And while inhalant use is less common than substances like cannabis or alcohol, Joe LeConte, MEd, LCDC, LPC-Associate, a licensed chemical dependency counselor with Texas Christian University, says young people may be more willing to try it because they don’t know how dangerous it is.
“In the field of substance use counseling, there is a phrase we like to use, ‘As the perception of risk decreases, the likelihood of use increases,’” he says. “That is to say, if the risks around it aren’t well known or they are easily dismissed, the more likely people are to try it.”
Additionally, products that contain difluoroethane or DFE are not illegal because they are not unique, says LeConte. “Products like food-grade nitrous oxide gas, model glue, or certain solvents can be misused in a similar way to keyboard duster to alter people’s state of consciousness.”
How Addictive Is It?
Inhalant use is not generally physically addictive in the same way as other substances, says LeConte. As a result, teens don’t become physically dependent on it. But those who use large amounts can develop a psychological dependence, he says.
“Once the product is inhaled, the user experiences a rush of euphoria that occurs almost immediately,” explains Alison Tarlow, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and chief clinical officer at Boca Recovery Center. “But the high effects will dissipate rapidly, leaving the user wanting more. Because of the short-lived high, and the relative ease in which these products can be found, kids [may want to] use it again and again.”
If they stop using the inhalant, LeConte says they also may experience acute withdrawal symptoms if they have been using large amounts for a long period of time. Some of these symptoms include irritability, disorientation, excessive sweating, and symptoms of psychosis, including auditory and visual hallucinations.
“In many cases, these symptoms can abate within several weeks of cessation,” he says. “However, damage to the nervous and cardiovascular system can be long-lasting or permanent in severe cases.”
What Are the Risks of Dusting?
The most concerning risk of using inhalants is death and overdose, says Dr. Stacy. Accidents or injuries while under the influence of them can also occur.
“At the time of use, [inhalants] can depress your nervous system, cause breathing problems, and be toxic to the heart,” she says. “Longer-term use can cause lasting damage to the brain, lungs, and other organ systems.”
According to Dr. Stacy, inhalants impact your brain’s reward system, just like other addictive substances. What’s more, she says teens who use one type of substance—whether inhalants, cannabis, alcohol, nicotine, or something else—are more likely to go on to use another type of substance.
“They are often seeking a more intense high,” she says.
Signs Your Child Is Engaging in the ‘Dusting’ Trend
The most obvious sign that your child is dusting or using aerosol cans to get high would be an abundance of empty cans in their room, bag, car, or garage, says Tarlow. “People who use DFE frequently may empty as many as 20 cans or more per day. The high from inhalants is typically very short, usually lasting no more than 30 seconds. Therefore, the window of ‘catching someone in the act’ is very small.”
Inhalants like DFE and nitrous oxide can also cause frostbite, says Tarlow. Your teen may have burns around their mouth, face, and hands due to the extremely low temperatures of the gas when it leaves the can. You may also notice redness, irritation, or swelling around the mouth and nose area.
Other signs and symptoms to look for include:
- Missing or empty aerosol cans or cleaning products
- Hidden aerosol cans or large numbers of cans in the trash
- Chemical odors on their breath or clothing
- Paint or other stains on their face, hands, and clothing
- Slurred speech
- Glazed look or disoriented appearance
- Lack of coordination
- Irritability, moodiness, or impulsive behavior
- Increased anxiety or depression
- Nausea or vomiting
How to Talk to Your Kids About Dusting
Start with an open, relaxed conversation and avoid fear-based communications, suggests Lape. Ask them what they have heard about dusting and share facts with them without judgment.
“Conversations about inhalants can be part of the same conversations you have with your teenager surrounding other substances like alcohol, nicotine, opioids, or cannabis,” adds LeConte. “By providing information about the risks and possible physical damage, you can change the perception of risk.”
Here are some additional tips for keeping your kids safe from dusting, according to Tarlow:
- Be open and clear
- Discuss all the consequences
- Let them know that it is difficult to stop once started
- Be mindful of the products you keep around your house
- Never assume that your kids won’t use these products
- Keep these products out of the way and perhaps locked up safely
“Emphasize that just because something is ‘household,’ this doesn’t equate to it being safe,” says Lape. Also, reinforce the importance of seeking help when they’re feeling overwhelmed, he says.
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