Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

3.
4.
Prescription drug abusers: Sixteen persons with at least 2 years <strong>of</strong>
prescription drug abuse (11 males, 5 females; average age, 20.5
years; 8 individuals started with medicine, 5 with inhalants, and 1
each with opiates and stimulants).
The fourth group was composed <strong>of</strong> inhalant abusers and was divided
into three subgroups depending on the length and frequency <strong>of</strong> abuse
<strong>of</strong> inhalants:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Short-term frequent use: These persons exhibited a maximum
<strong>of</strong> 2 years <strong>of</strong> abuse, almost daily (23 males, 4 females; average
age, 17.9 years).
Long-term frequent use: These persons exhibited a minimum <strong>of</strong>
2 years <strong>of</strong> abuse <strong>of</strong> inhalants more times per week, and 12
exhibited daily use (22 males, 0 females; average age, 21.3
years).
Seldom use: These persons exhibited use once a week, between
1 and 2 years (9 males, 12 females; average age, 15.9 years).
5. Casual abusers <strong>of</strong> inhalants: This group included 7 individuals who
had never abused any drug on a regular basis (5 males, 2 females;
average age, 18 years; preferred drug: 4 used inhalants, 2 used
cannabis, and 1 used prescription drugs).
Of the 120 subjects, 70 were primarily inhalant abusers, 67 started their
drug career with inhalants, 2 with prescription drugs, and 1 with opiates.
Out <strong>of</strong> 117 drug users, 68 percent first tried inhalants, 12 percent began
with cannabis, 9 percent first used opiates, 9 percent began with
prescription drugs, and 2 percent first tried hallucinogens (figure 2). A
greater number <strong>of</strong> inhalant abusers belonged to the “prison group,” which
consisted <strong>of</strong> males only and individuals who were frequent users. The
remaining information from the study was analyzed primarily by location
<strong>of</strong> the group and not by the type <strong>of</strong> drugs abused. A summary <strong>of</strong> the data
concerning inhalant abusers is as follows:
Separated from mother at an average age <strong>of</strong> 11.5 years;
Main cause <strong>of</strong> separation: imprisonment, foster care;
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