By ALISHA WYMAN

The Union Democrat

Inhaling fumes from items such as dust cleaners, spray paints and even a brand of body spray is a popular way to get high for teens in bigger cities.

But officers occasionally find teens with the items in the foothills, Sonora Police Department Officer Jaemie Boeding said.

On Tuesday, a 16-year-old girl allegedly inhaled a computer cleaner, then lost control of her car on Mono Way. She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and hit-and-run after she fled the scene.

A teen passenger was arrested on suspicion of possession of an inhalant with the intent to inhale.

Common household items can pose risks as grave as illicit drugs for teens seeking to experiment, officials warn.

Those who do "huff," as it is commonly called, are breathing in chemicals that deprive the brain of oxygen, Boeding said. It kills brain cells and can even burn holes in the frontal lobe of the brain, she said.

"You're altered for life," she said. "That's not something they can fix."

Inhaling such chemicals has been known to cause brain damage or death in some cases, she said.

District Attorney Donald Segerstrom said huffing has been around for a long time, but it is something his office only encounters occasionally. He finds it is primarily youth who experiment with huffing.

The crime is charged as a misdemeanor under the influence of drugs or possession an inhalant with intent to inhale. For juveniles, it carries varying consequences determined on a case-by-case basis.

Aside from trouble with the law, it is "unbelievably dangerous," he warned.

"They are taking their life into their own hands, and no one should be doing that," he said. "There is a reason there are warning signs on those cans."

Calaveras County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Tracy Busby said he also doesn't see a lot of huffing in the area, but he agrees it probably happens. Methamphetamine and marijuana are the two drugs the office battles most, but other drugs cycle in and out of popularity.

He has heard of the activity, particularly using paint, he said.

"Kids will try all kinds of different things," he said.

They may not realize the dire consequences the chemicals can have on their health, he said.

"The human body is not made to deal with something like that," he said.

Boeding said it is important for parents to be educated about the potential effects of inhalants.

"They're more worried about methamphetamine; they're worried about marijuana," she said. "And they don't realize they have something kids can get high off of under their kitchen sink."

Contact Alisha Wyman at awyman@uniondemocrat.com or 588-4527.