ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell man faces charges after police said they found him passed out, apparently high on carburetor fluid fumes.
Police told Channel 2 Action News reporter Mike Petchenik that they found Michael Lairson's van parked in a turn lane last week on Old Alabama Road while officers were out on patrol.
"He approached the vehicle and didn't see anybody inside the vehicle," Officer Lisa Holland said. "On further inspection he noticed a man unconscious in the back of the van."
Holland said that when officers opened the door, they were overcome by a strong chemical odor that burned their eyes.
"We don't see that very often. Years ago we used to see cases of people huffing 'whip-its' or paint, paint thinner, glue -- that was pretty prominent years ago," she said.
Emergency crews took Lairson to the hospital, then police took him to jail on charges of huffing an illegal inhalant. Records show that he spent two days in jail before bonding out.
"It's (to) protect you, to protect the person," Holland said."Hopefully this man will get help and not do this again."
North Fulton Hospital medical director Dr. Ed Malcom said huffing such chemicals is extremely dangerous.
"You don't know what's in the chemicals. The chemicals are going to affect your brain, affect your kidneys, your lungs," he said."It can cause you to asphyxiate."
Malcom said huffing chemicals is often a cheap, easy high for children and teens.
"You just go to the store and buy some and nobody really suspects it, so it's a good gateway drug for children," he said. "If your child looks drunk, stuporous, confused, if they're more irritable, those could be signs that they are huffing."
WSBTV
