Are your kids huffing?

A New Jersey lawmaker is concerned that children could be using aerosol dusters, most commonly used to clean computer keyboards, to get high. Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (R-Ocean) sponsors a bill to make it tougher for minors to get their hands on the product.

"My bill makes it illegal to sell this type of product to anyone under the age of 18," said Angelini. "Someone might tell kids, 'Oh, you can huff this and get high and it's just air. It can't hurt you,' but it's actually a very complicated chemical mix that is very dangerous and could be deadly if inhaled."

The legislation has been introduced in part to let parents and teachers know that inhalant abuse is a growing issue Angelini explained.

"According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse inhalants are actually the fourth most abused substance after alcohol, tobacco and marijuana," Angelini said.

Under the bill, retailers would also have to post signs that state clearly: "Inhalant abuse can cause permanent injury or death. In New Jersey it is illegal to sell or give to a person under 18 years of age any aerosol duster."

A civil penalty would be imposed on retailers who don't comply with the requirement and criminal penalties would be imposed on anyone who violates the provisions of the legislation.

For more information on the scary trend of children abusing inhalants, you can go to www.inhalant.org or www.consumered.org. The average age of kids who start using inhalants is 10.