A British teenager has died after inhaling spray deodorant. Parents now want clear product labeling to warn people of potential dangers.
Georgia Green, 14, from Derby, England, was found passed out in her bedroom by her brother last May. He had a heart attack after spraying the deodorant he was wearing in space. The cause of death was said to be “undetermined, but consistent with aerosol inhalation”.
A young woman diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder likes to spray deodorant in her room because she finds the smell comforting. “If she felt nervous, she sprayed on the spray and it comforted her because it was the deodorant my wife used,” the father says, as quoted by the BBC. More than half a year after the accident, Paul Green criticized the labeling of aerosol products and called for awareness of an issue he felt had been underestimated.
“Very Clear Warnings”
The “British Aerosol Manufacturers Association” (BAMA), the trade association in the United Kingdom representing companies involved in the aerosol supply chain, indicates that spray deodorants should carry “very clear warnings” and instructions on proper use. Drawn up after risk assessments carried out by the manufacturer.
By law, the products in question must have the warning “Keep out of reach of children” printed on them, and although this is not a legal requirement but only a BAMA recommendation, most aerosol deodorants also warn that “substance abuse kills immediately.” .
In addition to criticizing the fact that the inscription provided is so small that it goes unnoticed, Georgia’s father called for the word “abuse” to be replaced with “use” because his daughter did not abuse the product, it said. “People don’t know how dangerous the contents of those cans are. I don’t want anyone else in the country or the world to go through what we went through. We don’t want our daughter to die. In vain”, he reasons, explaining that in the daughter’s victim case, “the door was open, it wasn’t a properly closed environment”. .
Deodorant products have been linked to hundreds of deaths
According to the British Office for National Statistics, the word “deodorant” was mentioned in 11 death certificates between 2001 and 2020, and as specific ingredients are not always referenced, the actual number of deaths may be higher. Certificates such as Georgia’s death were related to “aerosol inhalation” rather than “deodorant.”
Butane, the main ingredient in the product used by Georgia, has been implicated in 324 deaths between 2001 and 2020. Propane and isobutane in deodorant were implicated in 123 and 38 deaths, respectively. “Inhalation of butane or propane gas can lead to heart failure,” the agency notes.
According to the BBC, the “Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents”, a leading organization in the area of accident prevention in the United Kingdom, says that spraying too much deodorant can be fatal.
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