teens abusing ethyl chloride spray warns ministry
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Teens abusing ethyl chloride spray, warns ministry

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Teens abusing ethyl chloride spray, warns ministry

Spraying ethyl chloride spray, a topical anaesthetic, on a
Abu Dhabi - Arab today

Teenagers in the UAE are buying pain relief spray - easily obtained from pharmacies in many emirates – for a cheap, low-cost high, federal health authorities warned on Saturday.

Young people are using ethyl chloride spray, which is commonly applied on the skin for pain relief from sore skin, as a “laughter gas,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Saturday.

Spraying the topical anaesthetic on a piece of cloth and inhaling the fumes, results in bursts of laughter or tears, followed by hallucinations. 

As use of the spray is not illegal, low in cost, and easily available, there have been “many cases of addiction among school and university students.”

The spray “has recently gained interest among adolescent students who have been purchasing it from various social networking sites, e-commerce websites, private pharmacies and specialty stores,” the ministry said

But using the spray as a happy high carries dangerous side effects, and its abuse is “causing devastation to health and social life,” the ministry warned. 

Quoting the US Environmental Protection Agency, the ministry warned that  long-term exposure to high amounts of the chemical can lead to multiple harmful side effects.

These include damage to the nervous system, leading slow reactions, reeling, speechlessness, tremors, involuntary eye movement and ongoing hallucinations. 

Inhaling the spray may drain oxygen out of the body, leading to death, while long-time can damage the liver and kidneys. 

California has listed the product as containing a cancer-causing chemical.

In response, the health ministry has issued a circular to warn of ethyl chloride’s easy availability and harmful effects, according to  Amin Al Amiri, an assistant undersecretary at the ministry.

The health ministry has also sent a written communication to UAE education bodies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to raise the awareness among students and parents about the dangers of ethyl chloride.

Education bodies have been requested to monitor the behaviour of students in educational institutions and inform the ministry in case of any “widespread practice.”

Although all pharmacies are advised to not sell these products to anyone under 18 years, the ministry did not appear to lay out any new regulations or rules for sales of the spray.

The health has raised awareness about the substance and mobilized its team to take “procedural and precautionary” measures in coordination with the concerned authorities to contain its use.

Availabilty

How easy is it to get ethyl chloride spray without a doctor’s prescription?

Gulf News called seven pharmacies in Dubai to ask if they stocked ethyl chloride spray. None did, except one large chain which said it required a doctor’s prescription. 

But just a few calls to pharmacies in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ajman showed that the spray was apparently available over-the-counter for around Dh60.

Legal, yet dangerous

This latest warning on a legal, yet dangerous, high is not the first from authorities. In 2010, police in Dubai announced that they would arrest minors found to be inhaling lethal gas such as butane - commonly used as lighter fluid - to get high. 

In late March, two teens in Ajman were hospitalised after the butane gas they had been sniff-ing inside a car with the windows closed caused an explosion.

A month earlier, the Dubai Health Authority cautioned all members of the community against purchasing drugs or prescription medication from social media sites for safety reasons.

Brigadier Eid Mohammad Thani Hareb, Director of Anti-Narcotic Department in Dubai Police  told Gulf News that they hadn't reported any case of ethyl chloride addiction in Dubai


"We didn't register any incident of using the drug on Dubai. No addiction of this drug in the city," he said.
 

Hareb added that the department received no reports of anyone using such spray.

source : gulfnews  
egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

teens abusing ethyl chloride spray warns ministry teens abusing ethyl chloride spray warns ministry



GMT 03:33 2016 Saturday ,24 September

Diesel Black Gold fashion show during Milan Fashion Week

GMT 11:12 2018 Wednesday ,03 October

Osaka saunters into China Open third round

GMT 03:18 2017 Tuesday ,10 January

Home Centre decides to go in for a fresh look

GMT 14:44 2017 Saturday ,06 May

Pharmaceutical industry

GMT 22:32 2016 Wednesday ,24 February

'Deadpool' upends competition at North America box office

GMT 06:44 2017 Friday ,17 March

Bowling, table tennis achievements lauded

GMT 18:11 2017 Saturday ,04 March

Violence claims lives of 18 people across Syria

GMT 11:50 2017 Tuesday ,03 October

Bahrain weather forecast

GMT 12:18 2016 Friday ,30 September

To the importance of Oscar Wilde

GMT 09:53 2012 Friday ,25 May

Amr Yousef heads to Kenya \'Al Montaqem\'

GMT 09:25 2017 Saturday ,07 October

Spain rejects mediation calls as Catalans plan

GMT 22:41 2017 Friday ,02 June

Actress Suzanne Najm Al Din received

GMT 23:52 2017 Tuesday ,03 January

Syrian peace process struggles as rebels

GMT 12:59 2011 Friday ,15 July

Tasting lump of ice with fruit frozen inside

GMT 16:50 2011 Wednesday ,31 August

Justice sues to stop AT&T, t-mobile merger

GMT 21:14 2012 Tuesday ,28 August

Hyundai Veloster turbo SE

GMT 11:50 2011 Friday ,08 July

Russia\'s VTB bank secures record $3.1 bn loan

GMT 07:01 2017 Tuesday ,26 December

Lorde cancels Israel show after pressure

GMT 00:12 2013 Wednesday ,18 September

Damascus clubbers dance on in bid to forget war

GMT 10:55 2011 Tuesday ,15 November

TRA participates in UNESCO General Conference

GMT 18:26 2014 Tuesday ,27 May

Samsung to introduce standalone smart watch

GMT 15:24 2016 Sunday ,07 August

Stranded kayaker rescued after crocodile attack
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday