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

classes containing these substances make up about $80 billion <strong>of</strong> the U.S.
economy annually (Harwood et al. 1993).
While a series <strong>of</strong> deaths or injuries related to abuse <strong>of</strong> a particular product
typically attracts public attention and motivates development <strong>of</strong> public
policy (as exemplified in the State statutes that have been passed on this
subject), a policy that focuses on only one or a few products is unlikely to
stop or deter individuals who want to abuse inhalants because there are so
many different products that are abusable (Watson 1986).
<strong>Inhalant</strong> abuse usually is <strong>of</strong> concern because <strong>of</strong> the tragedy <strong>of</strong> the
youthful deaths that bring it to the public’s attention. While inhalants are
toxic to varying degrees, both acutely and chronically, it would appear
that most inhalant-related deaths are due to trauma, injury, and violence
during intoxication. Garriott (1992) found that 80 percent <strong>of</strong> inhalantrelated
deaths in Bexar County, TX, were due to suicide, homicide, and
other traumas (the types <strong>of</strong> consequences that also are highly correlated
with alcohol intoxication). The remainder were due to asphyxiation, or
anoxia, or heart arrhythmias probably induced by abuse <strong>of</strong> inhalants.
<strong>Inhalant</strong> abuse needs to be put in the larger context <strong>of</strong> the illicit drug
problem. <strong>National</strong>ly, inhalant abuse is responsible for a very minor
fraction <strong>of</strong> the measured consequences <strong>of</strong> drug abuse (figure 2). The
Drug <strong>Abuse</strong> Warning Network (DAWN) reveals that only a small
fraction <strong>of</strong> drug-related deaths and emergency room episodes involve
inhalants. In the 20 DAWN cities making medical examiner reports,
inhalants were mentioned in 1.0 percent <strong>of</strong> drug-involved deaths
(<strong>National</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> on Drug <strong>Abuse</strong> 1991a). In the 48 contiguous States
inhalants were reported in only 0.3 percent <strong>of</strong> all drug-involved
emergency room episodes in 1990 (<strong>National</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> on Drug <strong>Abuse</strong>
1991 b).
Furthermore, the State Alcohol and Drug <strong>Abuse</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> the
public substance abuse treatment system estimated that only about 0.4
percent <strong>of</strong> clients admitted to drug treatment were admitted due to
inhalant abuse (<strong>National</strong> Association <strong>of</strong> State Alcohol and Drug <strong>Abuse</strong>
Directors 1991). Cocaine and opiates and, to a lesser extent, marijuana
are involved in much higher proportions <strong>of</strong> drug-involved consequences.
These findings should be given the caveat that it may be more difficult to
recognize abuse <strong>of</strong> inhalants than other drugs.
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