Why we do what we do

Lethal chemicals, such as refrigerant are easily accessible and legal.  As a result, "huffing", which refers to the inhalation of refrigerant and other dangerous chemicals to achieve feelings of intoxication and euphoria has been on the rise over the past few years mainly among pre-teens and teenagers.  Refrigerant and other inhalants are highly addictive and are considered a gateway drug because users often progress from inhalants to illegal drug and alcohol abuse. 

We strongly support educating the public about the dangers posed by certain chemicals, such as refrigerant.  However, because children are exposed to refrigerant just about everywhere, everyday, we feel that a more effective and permanent solution to keep poison out of children's reach is in order.  Huffing chemicals such as refrigerant can result in death on the first use.  This is a risk we cannot afford to take with our children.  One of the goals of UPROAR is to propose solutions to lawmakers and governing bodies to address this problem.

Inhalant Abuse:  What you should know

Want to know more about inhalant abuse?  Take the web-based training on inhalant abuse developed especially for parents and guardians by Howard Wolfe, MA, LMFT, Director of the New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition.  To take the web-based training, please visit the New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition website at http://www.inhalantabusetraining.org/.

Code Adoption

A provision for securing refrigerant access ports on new construction has been codified by the International Code Council (ICC) in the 2009 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) and has been accepted by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) for inclusion in the 2012 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC).  The inclusion of this provision in the aforementioned building codes is a major accomplishment in the fight to prevent needless injuries and deaths resulting from exposure to refrigerant.  However, to be most effective, it is imperative that these codes are adopted by all building code jurisdictions.  We strongly encourage you to join in the fight against unauthorized access to refrigerant by urging your state and local building officials to adopt these codes.  For a list of building officials by state, please see the ICC Chapter Listing, the IAPMO Chapter Listing and the Building Code Reference Library made available by the International Code Council, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, and Reed Construction Data, respectively. 

In the News

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