A coroner wants the provincial government and parents to be aware that a cheap and accessible "high" has caused one death and two very serious close calls in recent months. It's the inhalation of canned air, products sold under names such as Dust Off and Dust Blaster.
The chemicals in canned air can cause breathing difficulty, irregular heartbeat and seizures.
A 14-year old boy in Central Quebec died in his bed last year with a can of pressurized air nearby.
The two close calls involved a 13-year old in Sherbrooke and a 16-year old who collapsed and went into convulsions after inhaling Dust Off in a dollar store in Saint Constant on the South Shore. La Presse reports that the boy's pals deserted him when he fell to the floor and vomited, and the store's clerks refused to call 9-1-1.
Manitoba, England and Australia have banned the sale of canned air to teenagers if it is suspected the product will be inhaled. .