Helium Inhaling Kills Local Teen, Father Fights For Sales Ban

RIVERSIDE – One local father is pushing for new laws banning the sale of helium to children after his son died.

Riverside father Tony David sits in his son’s room. 17 year old Micah David died last month. Tony David still keeps the helium tank Micah snuck into the house to get high. His parents found him dead in his room the next morning.

“I had no idea it was even in the house,” says David.

A Moreno Valley Walmart sold the $19 helium tank to the 17 year old at 11:20 at night.

Television public service announcements show the dangers of teenagers inhaling helium and other products including airhorns and computer dusters. But internet videos spread faster, making light of this risky behavior.

Helium has killed two other Riverside County teens in the last 18 months. A law banning the sale of Nitrous Oxide “laughing gas” to minors went into effect last Friday.

David adds, “I’d like to see legislation passed to prohibit the sale of helium to minors.”

Steve Lippman runs the Party Lab store in Palm Springs and explains, “At our store, we’re very careful with who we rent out to. We have a consent form that the customer has to initial and sign off on and they’re aware of the dangers of breathing in helium. I’m personally not in favor of legislation. But, I can see it’s one of those things that could gain a lot of momentum and end up going through the Legislature very quickly.”

Micah David had planned a future at Stanford.

His father recalls his son “Was involved in music and concert choir in his youth group at the church. Doing very well in school. Straight A’s at school.”

Now, his father can only sit in his son’s room, looking at one empty helium tank and warn other parents to beware.

Parents can get more information from the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition at www.inhalants.org