Reports of Air Horn Huffing Prompt Lincoln Police to Issue Warning

Several reports of juvenile huffing in the past two weeks have prompted the Lincoln Police Department to advise parents and teachers on what to look for and ways to prevent kids from huffing.

The recent reports of huffing involve air horn cans, which have been either purchased or stolen at sporting goods stores and other business across the city. Through inhaling the chemicals within an air horn can, kids mainly between the ages of 12-18 have been getting high at the risk of serious brain injury and death. Last week, LPD officers responded to a suspected huffing incident which left a youth hospitalized.

Lincoln Police Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said the safety of the teens is always the top priority.

“When LPD responds to these types of incidents, our main priority, our main focus, is not taking enforcement action," Bonkiewicz said. "Our main priority is to save someone’s life. I say that because sometimes people are worried about getting people in trouble; they’re worried about what might happen if they call 911. When we show up and we know it’s a huffing episode, our main focus is to keep that person alive and to connect them to medical services.”

Bonkiewicz said parents and teachers should be on the lookout for empty air horn or aerosol cans and look for symptoms of lightheadedness, slurred speech and extreme exhaustion.