Alcoholics and addicts will do anything to get high. Once they are in the thick of their addiction, they will try to maintain how drugs and alcohol make them feel. Sometimes sheer panic can come over a substance abuser when their contraband becomes limited. Searching high and low for something to get them through the withdrawal becomes a necessity. Sometimes addicts and alcoholics have to resort to hand sanitizer or mouthwash to fill the void.
Unlike drugs and alcohol, hand sanitizer and mouthwash are readily available to the public. Drugs may be difficult to score and alcohol might not be available after hours. Convenience stores carry both products to make it easier for pickup. Hand sanitizer can be found in homes, offices, schools, and other public places where hand washing is a priority. Mouthwash is something that consumers take home regularly to prevent cavities. Who would have thought to ingest this stuff? Alcoholics, addicts, and teenagers can down these concoctions to avoid getting into a troublesome situation that drugs and alcohol may create.
There are many reasons that people start using mouthwash and hand sanitizer to get high. Since they are not illegal, there is no fear of buying or carrying them. Mouthwash and hand sanitizer both come in small bottles so they are easy to conceal or they come in big bottles that can be convenient for larger consumption. The price of either is also less expensive than the average cost of drugs or alcohol. Both products, however, contain ingredients that can be toxic for the body which can be a bigger price to pay in the long run.
Hand Sanitizer can consist of water, fragrance, glycerin, and alcohol. The alcohol that is included in the sanitizer is isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which is also known as rubbing alcohol. Taking in IPA in any capacity can result in blindness, damage to the nervous system and organs, and alcohol poisoning.
Ethanol alcohol, which is the same alcohol that is in alcoholic spirits, constitutes about 30% of the mouthwash to act as a carrier agent for essential ingredients to help penetrate plaque. Mouthwash can also incorporate other alcohols into the mix such as menthol, thymol, methyl salicylate, and eucalyptol, which are not meant for human consumption. There are a few other ingredients that are harmful if swallowed that are added to mouthwash for medicinal purposes. In large quantities gastrointestinal problems can arise as well as alcohol poisoning.
If you know somebody that needs help with alcohol poisoning call the national poison control line at 1-800-222-1222 or you can use their poison control tool to deal with a possible poisoning.
Serenity Oaks Wellness Center is 5-week addiction treatment where our qualified staff is instrumental in helping a loved one who has become addicted to drugs and alcohol start their plan of recovery. Every plan is uniquely customized to help them accomplish their long-term sobriety. Call us today: 844-720-6847
