BOWIE, Md. -- Parents of 16-year-old Erica Knoll held a birthday celebration Friday without her. The teen died earlier this month after “huffing” from an aerosol can.

Huffing, known as the breath of death, is an extremely dangerous fad that has been recently spreading among teenagers. While huffing, kids breathe in household chemicals to get a quick buzz.

Knoll died 10 days ago after huffing from a can of Dust-Off, a product commonly used to clean dust from computers.

Erica's sister found her dead in her room the day after Halloween with a can of Dust-Off by her side.

Experts say kids, some as young as 9 years old, are using inhalants.

Erica was a senior at Bowie High School. Her parents said she was looking forward to college, her birthday and getting her driver's license. Now, her parents are trying to turn their personal tragedy into a lesson for young people.

"I hope my daughter's death keeps anyone from ever using it without knowing they're pretty much playing Russian roulette with something," said Erica’s father, Cliff Knoll.

Officials at Erica’s high school say that now they are also trying to get the word out on this deadly behavior.

"What's coming back is the huffing, dusting, bagging… Parents I told about it in e-mail had no idea what it was," said Mary Nusser, the president of Bowie High’s Parent Teacher Student Organization.

Many kids say that experimenting with huffing probably won't stop, but some hope that those who are deciding to breathe in inhalants know the risks.

Sean Rose, a friend of Erica, said, "I really hope the word gets out how harmful these drugs are, not that they won't do it, but will know the consequences of doing it."

Erica would have turned 17 Friday.

A breath of death forum will be held at Bowie High School on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Experts will be on-hand to talk about the dangers of huffing. Students and parents are urged to attend.