14.12.2012 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Policy Alternative 1: Change Products<br />

This seems like a deceptively easy policy approach: Ban or limit the use<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> particular substances with abuse liability. However, there are<br />

thousands <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> substances and products with abuse potential. It<br />

c<strong>on</strong>ceivably would cost billi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dollars to reformulate these products,<br />

and then it seems probable that the products would be both less effective<br />

and more expensive. Many observers believe (although it is not proven)<br />

that users will switch to abusing other products if <strong>on</strong>ly the products found<br />

to be preferred by abusers are singled out for reformulati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

Several manufacturers have put additives or irritants into products. This<br />

may have reduced their abuse, but this possible outcome has not been<br />

rigorously studied or documented. Several State government efforts to<br />

mandate use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> additives in abusable products failed because safe and<br />

acceptable additives could not be identified. However, it should be noted<br />

that there have not been significant efforts to identify or develop such<br />

additives.<br />

Policy Alternative 2: Restrict Access to Abusable Products<br />

States have enacted such restricti<strong>on</strong>s a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> times. These provisi<strong>on</strong>s<br />

appear not to be enforced and probably are not enforceable without great<br />

expense.<br />

Policy Alternative 3: Implement Preventi<strong>on</strong> Efforts Targeted<br />

at <str<strong>on</strong>g>Inhalant</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Abuse</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

The Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) requires each<br />

school district receiving Federal funding to implement comprehensive<br />

substance abuse programs for kindergarten through grade 12. Virtually<br />

all school districts have some kind <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> program in place. The DFSCA<br />

does not specify what should be in the programs. This study reviewed<br />

selected preventi<strong>on</strong> curricula and found that inhalants are addressed by<br />

about half <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the curricula and that very little informati<strong>on</strong> is c<strong>on</strong>veyed in<br />

those programs. In fact, there is virtually no research base to justify<br />

whether or how inhalants should be dealt with in school-based preventi<strong>on</strong><br />

programs. There is a great need for pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>essi<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>sensus-building <strong>on</strong><br />

both whether and how to include inhalants in such programs, as well as<br />

good research <strong>on</strong> these same topics.<br />

298

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!