NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Inhalant Abuse Insight

Sep 09, 2005

"Inhalants" include any chemical that is intentionally taken via the pulmonary route to produce a "buzz" or "high." Inhalants are dangerous. Their use represents a vast abuse problem in the United States and internationally. At greatest risk of harm from these drugs are adolescents in their early teen years. Inhalants cause adverse medical effects on almost every system of the body, but especially the nervous system. Both short- and long-term toxic effects occur. Short-term effects include diplopia, impaired memory, slurred speech, seizure, or even death from cardiac arrhythmias. Long term, inhalants can cause permanent ataxias or sensorimotor peripheral neuropathies.

Use of inhalants (also known as volatiles) for religious ceremony dates back to antiquity. Recreational use of inhalants in the United States accelerated in the 1950s and is widespread amongst adolescents today. Inhalants are frequently the first consciousness-altering substance abused by children. A vast number of common household products are inhaled intentionally, including solvents, aerosols, adhesives, fuels, dry-cleaning agents, correction fluid, and propellants (eg, whipping cream, cooking sprays). These products are readily available, easy to purchase, not illegal to possess, easy to conceal, and can be found in every household or garage. They offer a quick-onset "high" of brief duration, lessening the chances of getting caught. Prosecution of offenders tends to be minimal, and currently only 4 states have laws prohibiting inhalant abuse.

Terminology

Sniffing - Inhaling vapors from an open container or off a heated pan

Huffing - Inhaling vapors from a volatile-soaked cloth held against the face

Bagging - Application of the volatile into a paper or plastic bag, which is then held over the face

In the US: According to a study by Sharp and Rosenberg, in 1995 18.5% of US high-school seniors reported previous inhalant use. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, between 1975 and 1982, 10-13% of high school seniors reported having used inhalants at least once.
Inhalant abuse usually precedes even tobacco or alcohol use. Although most teenagers outgrow inhalant use, many progress to "harder" drugs in their teens, including marijuana and cocaine, or even use them concurrently with inhalants.

Inhalant abuse is less common (though not rare) in adults. Those especially at risk are doctors, nurses, dentists, shoemakers, hair stylists, painters, and dry-cleaning workers, all with ready access to these chemicals or anesthetics.

?· Internationally: Inhalant abuse is rampant among children in many urban centers, in both developed and developing countries, and represents a global health risk. Abuse rates are especially high in Great Britain, Singapore, and Brazil.

Mortality/Morbidity: Inhalant abuse is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Bowen and colleagues studied inhalant-related deaths in Virginia from 1987-1996 and documented the dangers of these drugs, as outlined below.

In the 10-year study period, 39 deaths resulting from acute voluntary exposure were reported, an average of 4 deaths per year. These deaths accounted for 0.3% of all deaths in young men aged 13-22 in the state. The prevalence of inhalant abuse remained fairly steady over the time course of the study. Of 39 deaths in the study, 37 were males. Interestingly, prevalence of inhalant use is believed to be nearly equal in males and females, thus suggesting a far greater risk of lethality in male users.
The average age of inhalant abuse death was 19, with 70% of those who died younger than 22 years and 25% aged 13-16 years. Of the 39 individuals who died, 37 were Caucasians.
Race:

These drugs have no social or geographic boundaries, but children abusing inhalants tend to be of lower socioeconomic class, poor school performers with high rates of absenteeism or suspension, and from broken families. Some parents do not discourage their children from using inhalants.
Inhalant abuse among children has been associated with higher rates of parental alcoholism and drug use. Users typically have low self-esteem and emotional problems (anxiety, depression, anger). Inhalant abusers also have been associated with criminal activity and tend to have more family members in prison than nonabusing children.
Though Caucasian children are the predominant abusers of inhalants, other racial groups at increased risk include Hispanics and Native Americans. Inhaling is frequently a group activity, occurring at school or at parties. Outcomes based on race have not been studied.
Sex: In the past inhalant abuse tended to be more prevalent in males, but over the past two decades, abuse has increased in females, and prevalence is nearly equal today.

Age:

The typical abusers of inhalants are 10- to 15-year-olds, though use in children as young as 7 and 8 years has been reported. The average age of initial use of these chemicals was 9.7 years +/- 3 years in one study, which preceded the average initiation into cigarettes by 1.5 years and narcotics by almost 4 years.
Experimentation typically occurs in late childhood and is short lived.
Chronic abuse is usually seen in older adolescents