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

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least as far back as 1983. However, the country does not have the benefit<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> nati<strong>on</strong>al household survey data <strong>on</strong> drug-related issues paralleling that<br />

from the United States and countries influenced by the United States.<br />

The annual number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> deaths from inhalant abuse in the United Kingdom<br />

has increased since 1983 by an average <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 5.4 percent. In 1988, a sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />

c<strong>on</strong>ference <strong>on</strong> VSA was held at Guy’s Hospital to reassess the state <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

knowledge and make further recommendati<strong>on</strong>s (Flanagan et al. 1989).<br />

Currently, two to three deaths occur each week, mostly am<strong>on</strong>g adolescent<br />

males. There is a trend toward the misuse <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> products c<strong>on</strong>taining gases,<br />

predominantly butane (Esmail et al. 1992).<br />

PRODUCTS ABUSED: GENERAL OBSERVATIONS<br />

For a product to have potential for misuse by inhalati<strong>on</strong>, it must c<strong>on</strong>tain a<br />

suitable volatile compound that is readily accessible and free from<br />

irrespirable c<strong>on</strong>taminants. For example, aerosols with high propellant<br />

c<strong>on</strong>tent meet criteria for misuse (e.g., PR Freeze Spray and deodorants),<br />

whereas those with low propellant c<strong>on</strong>tent (e.g., shaving foam) do not. In<br />

the case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> deodorants, the propellant can be separated from the active<br />

ingredient (usually aluminum chlorhydrate) by inverting the can so that<br />

the dip tube is in the gas phase, not the liquid (figure 1).<br />

FIGURE 1. Method <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> misusing aerosols.<br />

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