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

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Have you ever “sniffed” (“or huffed”) glue, gas, sprays, or anything<br />

like that to get high? (Do NOT include cocaine.)<br />

Yes/No<br />

The American Drug and Alcohol Survey (Oetting and colleagues 1990),<br />

shown above, gives 12 percent repeatedly.<br />

SUMMARY OF UNITED KINGDOM VSA-RELATED<br />

PREVALENCE DATA<br />

Tables 6, 7, and 8 summarize the informati<strong>on</strong> from the United Kingdom<br />

mostly from survey questi<strong>on</strong>naires. A substantial minority (up to 10<br />

percent) <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> children in school experiment with the abuse <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> volatile<br />

compounds at some time, although fewer than 1 percent c<strong>on</strong>tinue to use<br />

them regularly. Am<strong>on</strong>g the selected populati<strong>on</strong> studies, reported use is<br />

much higher, which <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten is why the populati<strong>on</strong>s were selected in the first<br />

place! Trends in use and any change in pattern <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> use over time is poorly<br />

documented. Little informati<strong>on</strong> is available about which products are<br />

abused and the methods <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> abuse. Anecdotal reports <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> roughly equal<br />

VSA between the sexes is supported by the majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> surveys. The<br />

suspected trend toward younger children experimenting is not adequately<br />

investigated since most studies take place <strong>on</strong>ly in sec<strong>on</strong>dary schools (with<br />

children ages 11 and older), although the “ever used” type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> questi<strong>on</strong><br />

should reveal this if the age <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> first use also is asked.<br />

Risk factors such as sniffing al<strong>on</strong>e or in company are not well addressed,<br />

although Sourindhrin and Baird (1984) reported that 92.5 percent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 134<br />

users studied in Glasgow used volatile substances as a group activity.<br />

Evans and Raistrick (1987) compared toluene and butane users and found<br />

that 74 percent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the glue users sniffed as a group, while 83 percent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

butane users sniffed al<strong>on</strong>e. They attributed this to the l<strong>on</strong>ger durati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

intoxicati<strong>on</strong> caused by toluene. However, Jacobs and Ghodse (1988)<br />

reported that 75 percent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 20 delinquents, most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whom abused butane<br />

cigarette lighter fuel, did so as a group.<br />

233

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