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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(Edminster and Bayer 1985), at least in developed countries, now has<br />
been largely replaced by the unknown risk from compounds such as<br />
methyl tert-butyl ether, sometimes used as an octane enhancer in lead-free<br />
gasoline. The benzene c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong> in unleaded gasoline typically is 3<br />
percent volume/volume (v/v) but can be as high as 5 percent v/v (Wallace<br />
1989), and benzene exposure carries a well-documented cancer risk<br />
(McMichael 1988; Wixtrom and Brown 1992). Brady (1991) makes the<br />
point that the hazard from lead in gasoline <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten is overemphasized to the<br />
exclusi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the toxic hydrocarb<strong>on</strong> comp<strong>on</strong>ents. Hall and colleagues<br />
(1986) attributed the pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ound motor neuropathy in a 4-year-old<br />
Sudanese child treated in Britain for the effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> gasoline misuse to the<br />
effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> n-hexane. Products formulated specifically for abuse are<br />
unknown in Britain, unlike the mixture <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> chlor<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>orm and ether popularly<br />
known as lança-perfume in Brazil (Carlini-Cotrim and Carlini 1988).<br />
Cans <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whipped cream are not comm<strong>on</strong>ly abused in the United<br />
Kingdom, and no commercially produced paraphernalia to misuse them<br />
has been seen, However, at least <strong>on</strong>e death has resulted from misuse <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
this product in the United Kingdom (Toseland and Camer<strong>on</strong> 1984).<br />
UNITED KINGDOM VSA MORTALITY DATA COLLECTION<br />
METHOD<br />
The United Kingdom death certificati<strong>on</strong> process and Cor<strong>on</strong>er system lend<br />
themselves to gathering data <strong>on</strong> problems such as those posed by VSA.<br />
Death certificates are public documents and are available for study. In<br />
England and Wales, Her Majesty’s Cor<strong>on</strong>er must hold an inquest in all<br />
cases where he is informed that a dead body is lying in his jurisdicti<strong>on</strong><br />
and where he has reas<strong>on</strong>able cause to suspect violent or unnatural death<br />
or death from some unknown cause, or if that pers<strong>on</strong> has died in pris<strong>on</strong> or<br />
in such a place or in circumstances in which an inquest is required by an<br />
Act <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Parliament. A post mortem examinati<strong>on</strong> usually will be performed<br />
if the deceased has not seen a doctor for 14 days prior to death. All<br />
deaths in suspicious circumstances are investigated and, if not found to be<br />
from natural causes, an inquest is held. Toxicological analysis almost<br />
always is performed to c<strong>on</strong>firm suspici<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a drug-related death. The<br />
Cor<strong>on</strong>er’s court is open to the public (and the press), except when privacy<br />
is desirable in the interest <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> nati<strong>on</strong>al security; access to inquest<br />
proceedings is restricted to “properly interested pers<strong>on</strong>s.” This includes<br />
those engaged in research for Government departments or research<br />
funded by Government departments. Witnesses give evidence under<br />
oath, and their attendance can be compelled. The procedure is<br />
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