Groups seek huffing awareness

March 15, 2002 Posted: 12:22 AM EST (0522 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When Megan Hakeman was 12, she started inhaling the vapors of household products like computer cleaner and air freshener a brief high with her friends.

"We, like, cleaned out my cupboards. We used everything in there," Megan said.

Megan could be a poster child for huffing -- a practice that kills more than 100 people every year. Groups like the National Institutes of Health and the Partnership for a Drug Free America want to bring more awareness to the problem.

"Any time someone uses an inhalant, even the first time, that could be a fatal instance for that child," said Harvey Weiss, Executive Director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.

The groups held a news conference Thursday to announce National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week, which starts Sunday.

A survey of 2,000 people found nearly 17 million Americans admitted huffing at least once in their lives -- more admiited to using the club drug ecstacy and the painkiller OxyContin combined.

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