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

TABLE 9. Sources <strong>of</strong> drugs.
No. Percentage
Home 15 32.6
Friends 8 17.4
Brother/sister 3 6.5
Other 9 19.6
NOTE: N = 46 (i.e., the total number <strong>of</strong> those who had ever
used inhalants). Some did not indicate source <strong>of</strong>
drug.
studies that mention the abuse <strong>of</strong> inhalants in other African countries,
except South Africa.
One study conducted 10 years ago in Zambia included inhalants in the list
<strong>of</strong> drugs in the questionnaire. In a survey <strong>of</strong> students in health
institutions and technical and secondary schools, Haworth (1982) found
that, out <strong>of</strong> 1,234 male and 602 female students, 13 percent and 5 percent,
respectively, had used an inhalant at least once. Use in the past month
was reported to be 1.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. Three males
(0.2 percent) used inhalants daily or nearly daily.
Of the 198 males who used inhalants [in the past year],
86 percent sniffed petrol, 1.5 percent glue, 4 percent
aerosols and 8.5 percent did not specify the substance
used. Of the 39 females who used volatile solvents, 56
percent sniffed petrol, 15 percent glue, 2 percent used
aerosol, and 25 percent did not specify which substance
was used.
Only about 32 percent <strong>of</strong> the males and 42 percent <strong>of</strong> the females
regarded inhalants as harmful. Most did not know that inhalants caused
any harm to users. Similar responses were recorded for other drugs,
including tobacco and alcohol.
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