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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 />

209

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