Stanislav Priftakis
A can of compressed air intended for cleaning dust was instead used by a man attempting to get high this weekend, Delray Beach police said.
Police arrested Stanislav Priftakis, 24, early Sunday after he was allegedly caught “huffing” a 12-ounce can of Ultra Duster spray. Priftakis has a Massachusetts driver’s license, but he currently is living in Delray Beach, according to a police arrest report made public Monday.
He is facing one count each of ingesting harmful chemicals and tampering with evidence. He remained in custody at the Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday morning in lieu of $3,000 bail.
Police were on patrol late Saturday in the 2000 block of Lowson Boulevard, just west of Congress Avenue, when an officer reportedly found Priftakis stumbling in and out of the road. The officer observed that Priftakis was carrying a metal can in his right hand, the arrest report said.
Priftakis allegedly tossed the can onto grass next to him as the officer approached. However, the officer was able to recover and determine that it was a can of Ultra Duster, the report said. The product is typically used to clean computers and computer parts, but has become popular among drug abusers who inhale its chemicals, authorities have said.
The chemicals typically are poured onto a rag or into a bag and then held over the nose or mouth to be inhaled. The risks of huffing include heart failure and serious to permanent damage to the kidneys, liver and brain, according to the Mayo Clinic.
