WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- While they may be legal in some states, "designer drugs," often marketed as herbal remedies, are banned under military law and policies by the Defense Department and all of the services.
Military officials, having seen a spike in servicemembers' use of otherwise legal substances, including prescription drugs, are trying to get the word out that besides leading to a court-martial and a less-than-honorable discharge, such practices also can be dangerous.
That is especially true of the practice of sniffing, or "huffing," products such as glue, paint thinner, and gases such as butane, propane and helium, all of which are known to cause disorientation, euphoria and other symptoms, said Navy Lt. Cdr. Sean Swiackowski, the deputy medical examiner for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's Office.
Several servicemembers have died recently from huffing, and the use, while mostly associated with young, unmarried people, appears to cut across age and socioeconomic backgrounds, Commander Swiackowski said.
"We've found it's actually a broad range of people," Commander Swiackowski said. A 40-year-old Army colonel -- who otherwise appeared to be healthy and fit -- died from huffing, he said.
Commander Swiackowski said he believes the deaths, and occasions when other users were left brain-damaged, were accidents caused by people who didn't realize how harmful misusing such products can be.
"People think it's not harmful because they use it to clean their homes and desktops," he said. "To them, there's no potential injuries to themselves because these are things you get around the house, or buy in the store."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, many products used in huffing contain 1,1 dichloroethane, a chemical highly toxic to the heart that is produced to remove grease, paint and varnish, and to make other chemicals.
The problem, Commander Swiackowski said, is that the chemical's reaction in the body is volatile, and people can get a false sense of security from using it without experiencing a toxic reaction.
"You could use it one time and it causes a toxic event, or you can use it a hundred times, and on the 101st, it kills you," he said.
Commander Swiackowski said he has made it his mission to educate servicemembers about the dangers of inhalants.
"The biggest part of my job is in preventing me from having to see anyone else" in the morgue due to substance abuse, he said. "The biggest part of my job to the community is education.
"People don't realize this is drug abuse," he added. "You may say you're just going do it one more time, but that time could be your last."
Army Col. Timothy Lyons, the chief of toxicology in the medical examiner's office, said even so-called designer drugs such as synthetic marijuana, marketed as "Spice," or "K-2," and salvia divinorum, a variation of the sage plant known as "salvia," are dangerous.
"A lot of these products are made in garages and homes, so you don't have quality control," Colonel Lyons said. "Each package, even under the same name, has different levels of compounds, so you really just don't know what you're getting."
Unlike marijuana and other drugs illegal under civilian law, designer drugs are not regulated or properly tested, and sellers often don't reveal their full ingredients, Colonel Lyons said. Toxicologists know, however, that the compounds bind in the central nervous system, "and some of these synthetics bind even greater than marijuana," he said.
Servicemembers who think they know someone with a substance abuse problem should reach out to that person and ask if they can help, Commander Swiackowski said.
If they refuse or deny the problem, consider telling their commanding officer you think they have a problem, he said.
"Confront it like you would in any system where you want to get help," Commander Swiackowski said. "The nice thing about the military is you can always ask to see someone and get help and have it not be in your record.
"The problem is, you have to admit you need help," he added. "Lots of times, they don't think they need help because they don't know what a big issue it is. They don't realize it's so dangerous to do these drugs."
Servicemembers struggling with substance abuse, or who are self-medicating for problems like depression and anxiety, should see a doctor, military officials say, adding that treatment is confidential.