DETROIT (WXYZ) — There was a time when tiny metal canisters known as whippets littered park areas in Southwest Detroit and other communities across Southeast Michigan. And if you're noticing less of them, it's probably because of the work of the Whippet WipeOut Coalition and State Senators Joseph Bellino and Stephanie Chang.
"One of the ways that we can absolutely address this growing substance abuse problem is by limiting access to the paraphernalia," Sen. Chang told 7 Action News Tuesday ahead of a vote on the Senate floor that's expected later this week.
The vote will be on proposed legislation that would make it illegal for someone to sell the paraphernalia designed to inhale nitrous oxide.
"What we're really trying to do is make sure that we're focused on limiting the access to these rather than criminalizing someone using because we understand that addiction is a very serious thing, but what we do want to do is make sure that we're lessening the impact on our communities," Chang said.
Members of the Whippet WipeOut Coalition recently traveled to Lansing to speak to the Senate Public Health Policy Committee about the hazards of the illegal use of whippets.
"Since these whippets do not have an odor, kids can literally be doing it in their household and parents don't even know about it," said Goya Diaz, a grandmother who is with the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation and also a member of the coalition.
To help lawmakers understand the problem, coalition members played the latest story 7 Action News covered on the abuse of nitrous oxide including a physician from Henry Ford Health discussing the health problems that can result from inhaling the gas.
The coalition is hopeful the proposed legislation will soon become law.
It's estimated that over 20 gas stations and party stores in Detroit's 4th precinct sell whippets, according to police officials who spoke to the committee.
Brandi Watts of the Southwest Detroit Business Association is the new head of the Whippet WipeOut Coalition that also includes The Ideal Group and a number of other organizations and community members.
"We want business owners to band together. We want them to make it hard for those gas stations and grocery stores to have these products on the shelves because they see the effects of what it has on the community," Watts said.
One issue facing the coalition is the need for someone to properly recycle the larger whippet canisters.
"That has limited our collection in Southwest Detroit because we can't stockpile these," said coalition facilitator Sylvia Gucken. "We are now looking for recyclers to partner with the Whippet WipeOut Coalition and the Southwest Detroit Business Association in solving this."
If you or your company can help the coalition, please contact Brandi Watts at (313) 842-0986 x 1001. You can also email Watts at brandiw@southwestdetroit.com.
