Chinese toy

During my last visit to India I was staying with my niece at Karaikudi, Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu. In the morning I was sitting on the compound wall and her son was playing there. After ten minutes I noticed that he was taking something which was pink in colour from his pocket, smelling it and putting it back in his pocket. At first it did not draw my attention. Since he was repeating this several times, I asked him to show it. It was a broad tree shaped synthetic toy, very soft and smelt heavily on some organic solvent. I called my niece and advised her to throw it immediately and not to buy any cheap toy made in China. Her son can become easily addicted to organic solvent without knowing it.

It is the duty of the parents to learn and know more about these kinds of dangers which could be avoided completely. Do our parents have enough knowledge? To know more about the adverse effects of abusing solvents or inhalants read my article in http://drkpadmanaban.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-are-effects-of-inhalants-abuse.html

The important message is that poisons are everywhere in the environment. If we know this we can avoid much hidden poisons. When you confront with these poisons, if possible, it is better to remove it. Be happy to have this chance to do this as many environmental contaminations could not be traced or it is impossible to remove them.

Are you against Chinese toys or other products? I hear this very often. My clear answer is no, certainly not.

The German market is also full of Chinese products, from toys to electronic goods. But there is a big difference in the method of procuring the products from China by Germany and India. We, in Germany stipulate all the technical specifications to the Chinese companies and they produce accordingly products for us. This means which raw materials they must use or which they must not use since they are banned by German laws. For example, 200 standard companies are producing toys to the Western markets according to specifications, but, at the same time, 2000 companies are producing cheap and dangerous toys for the rest of the world. We all want to cheap things and this is the biggest mistake. If the consumers look at the good quality these cheap toys have no chance in the market.

It could also be done in India and in other countries too; it is the duty of the concerned authorities to enforce the right guidelines or laws. It is the duty of the consumers till then to avoid buying such poisonous toys or other products.

What are the effects of inhalants abuse?

Prolonged abuse of inhalants may lead to tolerance development and the abuser needs more to get his kick and this is a dangerous situation.

Addiction is the result when the user needs it every day, more and more, to do his normal duties and his slow reactions and actions show us where he is.

The symptoms include:

• Irritation
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Tremors
• Loss of appetite
• Aggressive behaviour
• Anxiety
• Depression

The short-term effects are, the wellbeing and relaxation is the first feeling and after that excitement, drowsiness, chillness, blurred vision, loss of inhibitions, bad behaviour, unpleasant breath and sores around the mouth and nose and nosebleeds.

Short-term effects can be similar to alcohol-abuse effects and may last one hour and after that headaches and tiredness may last to several days, but it depends on the dosage inhaled. Disorientation, loss of control of the feelings and body are the result of abuse of large quantities in short time.

Some of the reports in magazines tell that most of the solvents do not cause any damage to the body, if used in small doses for a short period. It is totally wrong, all the organic solvents which are not miscible in water are big danger to our body and if you have deficiency in your detoxification system, then it is too late to think about the adverse effects. These are absolutely wrong information to mislead children and teenagers.

The long-time abuse has more serious adverse effects to our health and they are seizures, irregular heart beat, brain and nerve damage, memory loss, tremors, facial sores, irritability and coma.

Another important problem is the personality change, which can spoil many things in your life.

In rich countries, the inhalation death are rare, but in developing countries you do not know mostly, it is the organic solvents or malnutrition or any disease killed one and it is difficult to say anything concretely. If you are unlucky, you may die also after the first use.

What are the inhalants abused?

Inhalants are organic solvents including nitro-aromatics, all volatile organic solvents including nail polish remover, paint diluters, whitener-solvent etc., gas aerosols, petrol and Kerosene. The vapours of the inhalants, when inhaled can cause a high intoxication. These are CNS depressants and slow down or affect the brain and CNS activity which affects physical, mental and the emotional responses.

These solvents and propellants are available everywhere, in the household, office, garden house etc. and moreover they are legal and also very cheap.

Acetone is available in nail polish remover; toluene and xylene are present in permanent markers.

Aerosol is present in every aerosol spray systems, such as air freshener, computer keyboard cleaner spray, aerosol hair spray and aerosol insecticides.

Toluene is present in many products such as turpentine, petrol, paint, spray paint and in many adhesives.

Cigarette lighter fluids and paint thinners

Butane gas is also used in households as inexpensive home welding kits.

Amyl nitrite, a nitrite drug which is used in the treatment of angina could also be inhaled and abused.

Alkyl nitrite is in video head cleaner or in some nail polish remover.

Butyl nitrite is sold as a room deodorizer could also be abused.

Think of the whitener used even by school children in India and the thinner is used to abuse. It could be avoided if the industry could supply closed whitener which also looks like a ball point pen without any thinner and only this is used by children in developed countries. Normal whitener is exclusively used only in the offices.

These are only a few to mention but almost all solvent vapours can be inhaled. In the industries hundred thousands of tons of organic solvents are used for the extraction and also as raw materials.

Last but not the least, petrol and kerosene are available everywhere, without any problem.

We must talk to our children and teenagers and explain them about the danger of these cheap and easily available inhalants. In your household keep these solvents somewhere under lock and key, but awareness is the best defence against these horrible things.

Abuse of inhalants is very dangerous for our health.