Doctors warn of the risks of ‘gasping’ after pop star Aaron Carter passed out and drowned in his bathtub after sniffing an aerosol can.
The former Nickelodeon star, 34, had difluoroethane in his system at the time of his death, his autopsy report revealed Tuesday.
The gas is the main ingredient in many aerosol sprays and cleaners, but is sometimes misused for its ability to cause intense dizziness.
These sensations are caused by the gas depriving the brain of oxygen, leading to death and brain cells and, in some cases, permanent damage.
The autopsy for singer Aaron Carter revealed that he drowned in his bathtub after consuming Xanax last year and gasping before his death at age 34. Pictured in February 2022 in Las Vegas
Difluoroethane is a chemical used in aerosol keyboard cleaners. When inhaled, a person can get an intense high and dizziness (file photo)
Experts warn that sniffing is popular among young teens looking for an easy high with materials readily available at home.
Misuse of devices such as airdusters has been linked to respiratory problems, nausea, vomiting, abnormal heartbeat and nervous system depression.
Huffing leads to an almost instant effect, according to HC Drug Free, one based in Columbia, Maryland addiction treatment center.
After the chemical is sniffed, the gases quickly enter the lungs and enter the alveoli — air sacs in the lung responsible for carrying oxygen to the bloodstream.
These chemicals then enter the bloodstream and reach the brain, where they cause the feeling of a “high” – which can last up to 45 minutes.
It’s unclear if this is how Mr. Carter got the chemical into his system.
A report from 2020 by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston warned, “Inhalant abuse, also known as gasping, is common among teens and adolescents in the United States and worldwide.
“Inhaled aerosols are dangerous because of both the presence of volatile hydrocarbons that cause direct organ damage and the risk of the compressed air causing physical trauma.”
Other potential dangers include suffocation or suffocation as oxygen is displaced in the lungs, seizures caused by abnormal brain activity, or falling into a coma.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) also warns that some users could develop fatal heart complications after their first sniff.
“This syndrome, known as ‘sudden death from sniffing’, can result from a single session of inhalant use by an otherwise healthy young person,” the agency warns.
“Sudden death from sniffing is particularly associated with the misuse of butane, propane, and aerosol chemicals.”
Other items that people sniff are gas canisters, glue, paint, gasoline, felt-tip pens and markers, hairspray, aerosol deodorant, and cleaning products.
According to NIDA, an estimated 2.2 million Americans have abused inhalants. This includes up to four percent of eighth graders in the US.
The anti-anxiety drug alprazolam was also found in Mr. Carter’s body.
The drug, sold under the name Xanax, is a highly addictive fast-acting drug that produces a subdued and euphoric feeling in users.
Xanax falls into a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, along with others such as Klomopin, Valium, and Ativan.
Also known as ‘benzos’, these substances are highly addictive and their intense side effects have made them popular party drugs.
A person who takes the drugs every day to manage severe cases of anxiety can become dependent on them within weeks, studies suggest.
The body also builds tolerance to the drugs, meaning frequent use will require more and more over time to control their addiction.
It is unclear whether Mr. Carter obtained this drug through a doctor or illegally.
Officials believe the combination of these two drugs in Mr. Carter’s system caused him to pass out and drown in his bathtub.