Experts urge more awareness of solvent abuse, after explosion in Yellowknife last week
Police said the explosion last week happened as someone was "huffing" propane from a parked boat. The incident left one person in critical condition, and debris from the blast scattered around the neighbourhood.
The incident also prompted Yellowknife RCMP and youth organizations to renew calls for city residents to lock up propane.
The age of the individual involved in Tuesday's incident was not released but the head of a local youth organization in the N.W.T. said that she's long been concerned about young people using solvents.
Seth Fletcher, a Toronto-based addictions counsellor for the Canadian Centre for Addictions says there's reason for concern. He says inhalant and solvent abuse is often associated with underlying mental health issues and pain management.
"In a lot of Northern communities, the most easily accessible mind-altering substance that allows a person to self medicate or escape painful emotions, thoughts, feelings, underlying issues are inhalants, propane, chemicals you might find in your kitchen," Fletcher said.
He says addressing and treating inhalant abuse starts with having a conversation.
"We need to understand the why. Once we understand the why, we can start applying healthier interventions, giving more effective coping mechanisms, helping them nurture those new coping mechanisms until they become the first line of defence," said Fletcher.
Fletcher, who has worked in Nunavut, noted that it's sometimes difficult to access help in the North, where there are limited options for timely treatment.
Fletcher said that medical monitoring should be a part of any treatment due to the health risks associated with substances. He also says it's equally important to support individuals after treatment.
Fletcher says working in Nunavut he saw the effects of inhalant use and it was a heartbreaking part of the job.
"Physically, you see damage to the respiratory system — so, people's mouths, their nasal cavities, nerve damage, sometimes the breathing is compromised, just from having those chemicals being inhaled," said Fletcher.
Dr. Andre Corriveau, the acting chief public health officer for the N.W.T., says he's also concerned about the dangers of inhalant use.
He said different kinds of inhalants have varying effects on a person's organs but a similarity among them is that using them can result in a lack of oxygen in the lungs.
"Which then can cause cell death really quickly, within minutes. If it's more prolonged, and propane in particular, it's a heavier gas, and so it can hang around in the lungs for quite some time," said Corriveau.
He added that the damage can be permanent, especially to the nervous system, brain, liver, and kidneys, and some substances such as butane, propane and chemicals in aerosols, can cause death.
Yellowknife RCMP say they saw nine occurrences last year where inhalant or solvent abuse was identified. So far in 2025, there have also been nine occurrences according to police.
Between July 2023 and this week there have been 37 instances documented by Yellowknife RCMP where "huffing" and "sniffing" were included in the summary of occurrences.
Police have also recorded several thefts of fuel containers in Yellowknife over the last two years, with four gasoline containers and five propane containers taken in Yellowknife.
Following last week's explosion, Yellowknife RCMP have again encouraged residents to lock up any propane or other gases they have on their property.
In a news release, RCMP say that in addition to the internal health risks, inhalants are volatile substances that can explode or cause fires "under the right conditions."
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