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

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TABLE 1. Lifetime prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug use in Perú (values in<br />

percentages).<br />

Substance<br />

Lifetime prevalence<br />

1986 1988<br />

Alcohol 87.2 83.5<br />

Tobacco 67.4 57.2<br />

Hypnotics 0.9 0.8<br />

Stimulants 3.7 1.3<br />

Marijuana 8.3 5.3<br />

Hallucinogens 4.0 1.4<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Inhalant</str<strong>on</strong>g>s 2.4 3.6<br />

Coca paste 4.0 2.8<br />

Cocaine hydrochloride 2.6 1.3<br />

SOURCE: Ferrando (1990); Jutkowitz et al. (1987).<br />

Although these two surveys had different methodologies, both sets <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

results suggest that lifetime prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alcohol was much higher than<br />

that <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the illicit psychoactive substances. Use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> illicit drugs was almost<br />

negligible.<br />

INHALANT ABUSE<br />

Historically in Peru, anesthetics were the first inhalants to be c<strong>on</strong>sumed.<br />

During the 1930s the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ether was widespread. Anecdotal reports<br />

suggest that ether was used during carnival celebrati<strong>on</strong>s by people in the<br />

streets and in private parties. The phenomen<strong>on</strong>, what was then called<br />

etheromania, although essentially an urban and middle class <strong>on</strong>e, was<br />

c<strong>on</strong>sidered sufficiently serious to trigger governmental reacti<strong>on</strong>. In 1936,<br />

a law was passed to c<strong>on</strong>trol the availability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the substance and its<br />

c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> (Castro de la Mata 1987). Today, the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

inhalant has disappeared. The use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> volatile nitrites—butyl and amyl<br />

193

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