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

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FIGURE 1. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nati<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g> School Survey: <str<strong>on</strong>g>Inhalant</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, last 12 m<strong>on</strong>ths’ use.<br />

PATTERNS AND TRENDS<br />

Two patterns <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> use have been observed: (1) experimentati<strong>on</strong> am<strong>on</strong>g<br />

students, in which users may try the drug <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>ce or twice (61 percent<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ever users), including those who stop after experimenting up to 5 times<br />

(19 percent), and (2) regular users (17 percent). Am<strong>on</strong>g minors working<br />

in the streets, regular use is comm<strong>on</strong> with few excepti<strong>on</strong>s. Either they<br />

use regularly, several times a day, or do not use at all, with periods <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> use<br />

and abstinence (Ortiz et al. 1988).<br />

Data from the household (Medina-Mora et al. 1989) and school surveys<br />

(Castro et al. 1986; Medina-Mora et al. 1992; De La Sema et al. 1991)<br />

suggest an increasing trend in the number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> users <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants. Between<br />

1974 and 1988, rates <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> lifetime use am<strong>on</strong>g the general populati<strong>on</strong><br />

between 14 and 65 years <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> age increased from 0.4 to 0.7 percent.<br />

Prior to 1980, inhalants were a drug group <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> preference in Mexico City,<br />

sec<strong>on</strong>d <strong>on</strong>ly to marijuana, am<strong>on</strong>g students attending schools located in<br />

low socioec<strong>on</strong>omic areas. However, by 1980, it had extended to other<br />

groups until the same percentage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> use was observed in schools <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high,<br />

medium, and low socioec<strong>on</strong>omic status (SES). In 1976, the percentage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

lifetime use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants in Mexico City was 0.85 percent. It increased<br />

significantly in 1978 to 5.6 percent, and by this year it became more<br />

popular than marijuana and has occupied this place since then (Castro et<br />

al. 1980; De La Sema et al. 1989; Medina-Mora et al. 1993). The use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

inhalants has remained stable through 1992, when rates <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> lifetime use<br />

increased significantly bey<strong>on</strong>d the c<strong>on</strong>fidence intervals <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the sample,<br />

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