A toxicologist is welcoming news the Chief Coroner has launched an urgent inquiry into the wider issue of solvent sniffing.
The inquiry's been announced after two teens - practising what's known as huffing - were critically injured when gas cylinders exploded with such force the house they were in Mosgiel, Dunedin, was partially destroyed.
Dr Leo Schep from the National Poisons Centre says 28 people have died from deliberately inhaling gas between 2007 and 2011.
“It’s not just from the explosion like we had here in Mosgiel but there are other dangers with it as well, one called sudden death syndrome where people inhale and have cardiac arythmias.”
Dr Schep says the nation needs to be better educated about the dangers of solvent sniffing.
RadioLIVE