Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
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ehavior. A sec<strong>on</strong>dary aim has been understanding the underlying<br />
factors resp<strong>on</strong>sible for their leaving home and the drug-using behavior.<br />
Outreach and halfway house programs have been effective in getting<br />
hundreds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> street children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f the streets. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these programs <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
provide general informati<strong>on</strong> and referral to treatment programs, but others<br />
serve as safe havens where children can leave their bel<strong>on</strong>gings and take a<br />
shower or get a hot meal. Other programs have been developed so that<br />
children can live in a family-like setting with structured educati<strong>on</strong>al and<br />
vocati<strong>on</strong>al activities. Several <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the programs provide extensive drug<br />
abuse counseling for the children identified as drug abusers.<br />
It should be noted that no special treatment programs are available for<br />
children whose primary drug problem is inhalant abuse. Further, little<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> exists <strong>on</strong> the number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> privately funded programs geared<br />
toward getting street children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f the streets and addressing their deviant<br />
behaviors. Moreover, informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> drug abuse treatment programs for<br />
more affluent members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Bolivian society are not available.<br />
THE BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT’S POLICY TOWARD THE<br />
PROBLEM OF INHALANT USE<br />
Currently, Bolivia has no comprehensive policy regarding inhalant abuse<br />
and other types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug abuse. The current Bolivian Government policy<br />
is aimed at eradicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coca fields and the producti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alternative<br />
crops in rural areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the country. Moreover, the Bolivian Government<br />
has placed emphasis <strong>on</strong> the criminalizati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug use, and efforts<br />
undertaken by the Bolivian police have been to enforce current laws<br />
toward the c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> and trafficking <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coca paste and marijuana.<br />
The statutes passed by the Bolivian C<strong>on</strong>gress and signed by the President<br />
into law in 1992 protecting the rights <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> minors in Bolivia have had little<br />
impact in dealing with the drug problem am<strong>on</strong>g youth at risk. The focus<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this legislati<strong>on</strong> has been <strong>on</strong> the ec<strong>on</strong>omic survival <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these minors.<br />
The problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug use as a health care c<strong>on</strong>cern has received little<br />
attenti<strong>on</strong>. Given these circumstances, it is unlikely that legislative efforts<br />
will be undertaken in the near future to develop a coherent policy<br />
c<strong>on</strong>cerning the growing problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> in Bolivia.<br />
In Bolivia there is a growing need to develop sound ethnographic<br />
research studies that could <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fer insights as to the underlying factors<br />
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