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

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FIGURE 1. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nati<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g> Household Survey <strong>on</strong> Drug <str<strong>on</strong>g>Abuse</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 1972-1991.<br />

Reported inhalant use in past m<strong>on</strong>th.<br />

Native Americans and Hispanics (Beauvais and Oetting 1988; Mata and<br />

Andrews 1988; Smart 1988).<br />

Public attenti<strong>on</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>ally and at the State and community levels is<br />

episodic. An episode typically is initiated by the media publicizing a<br />

series <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant-related deaths and injuries <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> adolescents associated<br />

with a particular product or type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> abusable product (e.g., glue and<br />

metallic paints). Glue sniffing as described in Parade magazine was the<br />

first and best-remembered media-publicized inhalant “epidemic,” but<br />

numerous States and communities subsequently have “discovered”<br />

inhalant abuse. There is little evidence that inhalant abuse dramatically<br />

waxes or wanes before or after its “discovery.”<br />

The most difficult facet <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the inhalant problem to c<strong>on</strong>fr<strong>on</strong>t is the fact that<br />

inhalants are ubiquitous. Abusable substances are used in and important<br />

to the functi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> thousands <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sumer and industrial products, such as<br />

fuels (e.g., gasoline), glues and adhesives, paints, varnishes, typewriter<br />

correcti<strong>on</strong> fluid, nail polish remover, gas lighters, pressurized food<br />

products, and aerosolized cosmetic products. These products c<strong>on</strong>tain<br />

volatile substances such as benzene, toluene, butane, acet<strong>on</strong>e, nitrous<br />

oxide, fre<strong>on</strong>, chlor<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>luorocarb<strong>on</strong>s (CFCs), and others. Major product<br />

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