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

perception <strong>of</strong> the danger inherent in inhalant abuse. Students who were
unaware or skeptical <strong>of</strong> the risks <strong>of</strong> injury from sniffing were more likely
to be volatile solvent abusers. The practice <strong>of</strong> sniffing usually was
transitional, with the great majority <strong>of</strong> adolescents growing out <strong>of</strong> the
practice.
The most popular volatile substance abused is glue, followed by gasoline,
thinner, household aerosols, and lighter fluids. Statistics on Australian
fatalities from the inhalation <strong>of</strong> volatile solvents and aerosols are limited.
A national survey carried out by the Aerosol Association in Australia
(Edmonson 1988) reported 34 deaths over the period from 1974 to 1983.
The ages <strong>of</strong> the victims ranged from 12 to 24 years, with a median age <strong>of</strong>
16.4 years. A cooking spray containing the propellant Fl 1 and hydrocarbon
was the most common substance involved in these fatalities.
Some Australian States have adopted legislative measures as one
approach to the control <strong>of</strong> abuse <strong>of</strong> volatile solvents. For example, in
Queensland, the Poisons Regulations were amended in 1983 to require
that glues containing volatile solvents be placed out <strong>of</strong> reach <strong>of</strong> the
public. Under the New South Wales poisons legislation, warning labels
are required on products specified in the regulations. In South Australia,
the Controlled Substances Bill <strong>of</strong> 1983 has provisions whereby a person
who supplies volatile solvents for purposes <strong>of</strong> inhalation is liable to a fine
or 2 years’ imprisonment.
Brunei Darussalam
<strong>Inhalant</strong> abuse was first reported in 1988 in Brunei Darussalam.
Information obtained from arrests and referrals made by law enforcement
agencies, educational institutions, parents, employers, and the public
indicates that the prevalence <strong>of</strong> cases reported remained low. From 1989
to 1992, only 92 inhalant abusers had volunteered for supervision and
counseling. More than 90 percent <strong>of</strong> these cases were indigenous males
under the age <strong>of</strong> 20 years. Two-thirds were students, while the rest were
unemployed (Anti-Drug Association, personal communication, May 19,
1993).
<strong>Abuse</strong> <strong>of</strong> these substances was mainly on an experimental basis,
motivated by boredom, lack <strong>of</strong> discipline, peer influence, and lack <strong>of</strong>
family attention (Anti-Drug Association, personal communication, May
19, 1993). The types <strong>of</strong> inhalants commonly abused included toluene
and several types <strong>of</strong> glue, thinner, and varnish. These substances are
32