The Ministry of Health and Prevention has issued a circular warning of the dangers of misusing ethyl chloride spray. Ethyl chloride has recently gained interest among adolescent students who have been purchasing it from various social networking sites, e-commerce websites, private pharmacies and speciality stores. The substance is a local anaesthetic that affects the central nervous system when inhaled.
Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s Public Policy and Licensing Sector, confirmed that the ministry has issued the circular after monitoring the widespread use of ethyl chloride spray among adolescents.
He explained that teenagers, who call it laughing gas, inhale the compound by spraying it on a piece of cloth, resulting in bouts of laughter or crying followed by hallucinations. He added that the product is not criminalised, and being low in cost compared to other categories of drug and easily available, it has led to numerous cases of addiction among school and university students.
Dr. Al Amiri also added that the ministry has raised awareness about the substance and mobilised its team to take procedural and precautionary measures and co-ordinate with concerned authorities to contain its use. He said that the ministry has communicated with the Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, ADEC, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, KHDA, the Anti-Narcotics Federal General Directorate at the Ministry of Interior and various police departments to investigate and report seized cases, monitor and analyse captured substances, and provide preventive measures to protect children from these dangerous products.
Dr. Al Amiri confirmed that ethyl chloride spray is used medically to prevent pain caused by injections and minor surgical procedures, provide temporary relief from minor sports injuries and help relieve deep muscle pain when used with muscle spasm techniques. Ethyl chloride is a typical anaesthetic that belongs to a group of pharmaceutical compounds that block the neurotransmitters and paralyse skeletal and respiratory muscles when inhaled. It also causes paralysis of the nerves that feed the blood vessels, relaxing the smooth muscles in the vessel walls.
The ministry has warned against inhaling these substances and has issued a circular to detect and stop misleading practices among young people between the ages of 12 and 16 as it can lead to serious complications, including hospitalisation said Dr. Al Amiri. All pharmacies are advised to not sell these products to anyone under 18 years old.
The public is urged to fill out ADR side effects form if any are noted through the website www.cpd-pharma.ae