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

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

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FIGURE 8. United Kingdom VSA-related deaths: Cause <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> death<br />

by product.<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> prior VSA by the deceased, and the Cor<strong>on</strong>er may not press the<br />

questi<strong>on</strong> for humanitarian reas<strong>on</strong>s. The primary purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the inquest is<br />

to exclude crime rather than to establish the exact circumstances <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> death.<br />

In the remainder <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> deaths (i.e., 30 percent), there is no evidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> prior<br />

use, and some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these may be naive users who have succumbed due to<br />

inexperience. It must be difficult, particularly when using very volatile<br />

and short-acting compounds (like gases), to titrate the “high” against the<br />

dose. The risk <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> accidental overdose also is greater with the gaseous<br />

compounds. When liquid solvents and solvent-c<strong>on</strong>taining products are<br />

abused, the vapor inhaled always will c<strong>on</strong>tain air, but with gases it is easy<br />

to displace all air, thus adding anoxia to the hazard. For most other drugs<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> abuse, there is some indicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dose. Even street drugs such as<br />

cocaine and heroin tend to be sold in single dose units at the user level.<br />

In c<strong>on</strong>trast, a teenager given a cigarette lighter refill has to either<br />

experiment or be taught by his or her peers to find out if <strong>on</strong>e sniff or half<br />

a can is required to achieve the desired effect. One can imagine that this<br />

is a very risky process.<br />

METHODS OF MISUSE<br />

The method <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> misuse is related to the nature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the product (figure 9)<br />

Adhesives comm<strong>on</strong>ly are poured into a plastic bag, and the vapor is<br />

inhaled from the gathered neck <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the bag.<br />

221

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