GLUE SNIFFING (continued)

For over ten years, model airplane glue remained the inhalant of choice for teenage sniffers.  But sniffing glue was a sticky, messy business, and with laws prohibiting its sale to minors it was not always easy to obtain.  Beginning in the early 1970's the aerosol spray can came into wide use, and paint sniffing from spray cans became the preferred form of inhalant abuse.

This case dates from 1974.  This man was last seen alive sitting on a beachfront sea wall.  According to witnesses, he was intoxicated from sniffing model airplane glue.  He either jumped or fell into the water.  His body was found two days later floating face down.  His possessions consisted of a motel room key, 19 cents, and two tubes of airplane glue.  A background check revealed a history of inhalant abuse.  The frothy fluid seen in his trachea and larynx confirmed the cause of death as drowning.

© 1998, 2005 Deep 6 Productions, Inc. Unauthorized duplication or distribution of these images prohibited under U.S. copyright law.