Celina Woman Arrested On Abusing Harmful Intoxicants Charge

(1-30-24) Hannah Maitlen (30) of Celina was arrested by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of abusing harmful intoxicants.

On November 25th she was booked on the same offense and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on February 14, 2024. She was out on bond for this charge.

She was located in the bathroom by law enforcement while on the scene and officers found several used and partially used Nitrous Oxide (“Whippets”) containers.

Nitrous oxide (commonly known as ‘laughing gas’) is an odorless, colorless, non-flammable gas. While nitrous oxide is not flammable, it will support combustion to the same extent as oxygen. It leads to a state of euphoria, explaining its nickname, ‘laughing gas.’ Nitrous oxide is the least potent inhalational anesthetic.

During the search “Whippets” were located in the basement where Maitlen lives in the house, sed “Whippets” containers were also located underneath the bed of Mailen’’s 7 year-old child.

Whippets or nitrous oxide, are popular “party” inhalant drugs. You may also hear them referred to as “whippits” or “whip-its.” The drug gets its name from whipped-cream aerosol canisters that people open to misuse the gas inside. These drugs create a high that lowers your mental and physical pain.

Whippets are easy to get since products with nitrous oxide are legal. In many areas, it’s illegal to sell these products to teenagers under 18. But even with this law, teens are still one of the largest groups of whippet users.

Maitlen is being held in the Mercer County Adult Detention Center pending a Celina Municipal Court appearance tomorrow (1-31-24) at 10:30am. 

Abusing Harmful Intoxicants

A misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a drug abuse offense, abusing harmful intoxicants is a felony of the fifth degree.

In addition to any other sanction imposed upon an offender for a violation of this section, the court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit.