Can You Get Criminal Charges For Chroming?

Every week, the news media comes up with something new for adults to panic about, usually something apparently dangerous that teenagers are doing on social media.  This week, the Internet is abuzz about chroming, which the young generation apparently thinks it invented, if the news reports are to be believed.  Of course, chroming is just a new name for inhalant abuse; even the earliest versions of the drug awareness education programs in the 1980s warned against the dangers of inhalants.  Yes, inhaling the vapors of household products that contain psychoactive compounds can cause injury or death, and, yes, the chemicals can be addictive.  What are the laws on inhalants, though?  Can you get in trouble just for having a canister of whip cream or a bottle of nail polish remover in your possession?  If you are facing criminal charges because the state is accusing you of using an ordinary household product for purposes of inhalant abuse, contact a West Palm Beach drug offenses lawyer.

Isn’t It Obvious That This Nail Polish Is in My Car Because I’m Too Broke to Get a Manicure at a Nail Salon?

Just as with drug paraphernalia, context is everything when it comes to inhalants.  The Florida law criminalizing inhalants lists chemical compounds that produce intoxicating effects when their vapors are inhaled and states that it is against the law to inhale the fumes of these products intentionally.  Everyone can recognize the unpleasant smell of paint or whiteboard markers when these are nearby, but simply getting close enough to notice the smell will not cause intoxication, although if there are multiple uncapped markers in a poorly ventilated room, the smell might give you a headache until you can go outside and get some fresh air.

How do the police tell that you were inhaling household products instead of merely using them for their intended purpose?  They can administer a blood test, and if it shows a concentration of an intoxicating compound higher than what you would get from ambient exposure, this can count as evidence against you.  Likewise, it is more incriminating if you have removed the nitrous oxide cartridge from a canister of whip cream than if there is an empty bowl in your car with residue of whip cream and other ice cream sundae ingredients.

Inhalant-related criminal charges often arise when a person causes an accident while driving under the influence of inhalants.  Several years ago in Miami, a man struck and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence of nitrous oxide; he was driving dozens of miles per hour faster than the speed limit.  Police found several cartridges of nitrous oxide in his car; he had apparently ordered the cartridges in bulk online.  In other words, this was much more than a case of police pulling someone over for a broken taillight and finding a bottle of nail polish in the center console.

Contact a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

Attorney William Wallshein has more than 38 years of experience, including five years as a prosecutor in Palm Beach County.  Contact William Wallshein P.A. in West Palm Beach, Florida to discuss your case.

Sources:

flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/877.111#:~:text=(1)%20It%20is%20unlawful%20for,methyl%20isobutyl%20ketone%2C%20ethylene%20glycol

wxow.com/news/chroming-is-killing-some-kids-experts-explain-this-trend/article_a6b70c75-5972-5b6e-b4eb-cec37a999913.html