High on deodorant? Florida driver faces DUI charge after sniffing Right Guard, cops say
A car that smelled strongly of aerosol deodorant led to accusations of intoxicated driving against a South Florida woman this week, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The 31-year-old woman was charged with driving under the influence of Right Guard, the department said in a news release.
Investigators suspect the driver was “huffing cans of deodorant” to get high as she drove, and their evidence includes “mounds of empty Right Guard” cans found in her car.
“Her demeanor during a traffic stop, however, gave deputies a better understanding of why her normal faculties were impaired,” the department said.
“The deputy ... could smell the strong scent of spray deodorant inside the car. When asked, (the driver) said she sprayed the deodorant because she really likes the smell. After further investigation, (she) admitted to drinking alcohol earlier in the day, then huffing the deodorant while she was driving her vehicle.”
The department didn’t say if the woman was given a sobriety test at the scene. However, she was arrested and taken to the Martin County Jail, sheriff’s office officials said. The coastal county is just north of West Palm Beach.
“The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has made 65 DUI arrests so far this year,” the department wrote. “Impaired driving is not just limited to alcohol. It includes alcohol, drugs and now deodorant, or any type of inhalant that can impair your normal faculties while you are behind the wheel.”
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports aerosols — including deodorants, hair sprays and even vegetable sprays — can provide a short-lived “high” when inhaled.
However, the sensation comes at great risk, experts say.
“They contain dangerous substances that have psychoactive (mind-altering) properties when inhaled,” the institute says.
“Most inhalants affect the central nervous system and slow down brain activity. Short-term effects are similar to alcohol and include: slurred or distorted speech, lack of coordination (control of body movement), euphoria (feeling high), dizziness.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 6:28 AM with the headline "High on deodorant? Florida driver faces DUI charge after sniffing Right Guard, cops say."