Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
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working with children living in the streets, almost 100 percent used<br />
inhalants <strong>on</strong> a daily basis (Zuchetti and Ord<strong>on</strong>ez, pers<strong>on</strong>al<br />
communicati<strong>on</strong>, June 1993). Anecdotal observati<strong>on</strong>s made by street<br />
workers suggest that the primary reas<strong>on</strong> that children use inhalants is to<br />
seek a sense <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> identificati<strong>on</strong> with each other, “to feel that they bel<strong>on</strong>g to<br />
a group.” Many <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these children usually cease inhalant use <strong>on</strong>ce they<br />
leave the street and return to their families or are sent to juvenile<br />
detenti<strong>on</strong> centers (Lucchini 1991).<br />
Clearly, the data reported by these studies suggest that the problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
inhalant use is much higher am<strong>on</strong>g certain vulnerable populati<strong>on</strong>s in<br />
Perú. Although these findings are based <strong>on</strong> small n<strong>on</strong>representative<br />
samples <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> youth, they suggest that Peru does have a serious inhalant use<br />
problem. For many <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the high-risk populati<strong>on</strong>s, it is apparent that<br />
inhalants seem to be the drug <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> choice.<br />
PERÚ'S RESPONSE TO THE INHALANT ABUSE PROBLEM<br />
Peru’s main c<strong>on</strong>cern with drug use focuses <strong>on</strong> the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> cocaine and its<br />
health c<strong>on</strong>sequences. The findings from recent public opini<strong>on</strong> surveys<br />
am<strong>on</strong>g both the general and student populati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drugs, as<br />
shown in table 8, suggest that inhalant use is not c<strong>on</strong>sidered to be a<br />
serious problem (Ferrando 1988, 1989, 1991b, 1993; Informati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong> Center for the Preventi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Drug <str<strong>on</strong>g>Abuse</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1993). Other drugs<br />
such as coca paste, alcohol, and marijuana were c<strong>on</strong>sidered to be more<br />
widely used. Given the opini<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Peruvians toward the c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
inhalants, it is not surprising that the Government and private sector have<br />
d<strong>on</strong>e little to address this problem. Currently, there is no legislati<strong>on</strong> that<br />
addresses the problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant abuse in Peru, and preventi<strong>on</strong><br />
educati<strong>on</strong> programs targeting inhalant abusers are n<strong>on</strong>existent (Lemer<br />
1991).<br />
SUMMARY<br />
In Perú, the prevalence and c<strong>on</strong>sequences <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant abuse appear to be<br />
low in the general populati<strong>on</strong> and high am<strong>on</strong>g marginalized children.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Inhalant</str<strong>on</strong>g> use ranks third in lifetime prevalence after alcohol and tobacco.<br />
Most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the use appears to be infrequent.<br />
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