Dusting—huffing the chemicals found in those can-based computer dust cleaners—is on the rise among youth and reportedly has led to the deaths of at least two people. The deaths were second-hand fatalities—both apparently the result of car accidents caused by drivers high from dusting—but experts warn that the chemicals are dangerous for users even if they’re not behind the wheel. “They affect your heart in such a way so that it is more likely to beat irregularly,” says Dr. Michael Wahl, medical director of the Illinois Poison Center. Abusers tend to be quite young, with the average user being in eighth grade. Symptoms include increased aggression and severe weight loss. (CBS News)
Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and two children. Follow him on Twitter.