Inhalant Use Second to Marijuana in Irish Teens

Ireland.com presented statistics on drug and alcohol use in youth that were alarming, to say the least. The binge drinking is the focus of the article, but towards the end there were a few sentences that caught my attention:

"About 50 per cent of the young people said they had used illegal drugs, with the average age of the first occasion at just 14 and a half. At 41 per cent cannabis was the most commonly used, followed by inhalants, poppers, cocaine, sedatives, amphetamines, ecstasy, and opiates."

Inhalants and poppers are reported to be the second and third most common drug amongst Irish teens - following only marijuana. More popular than cocaine or sedatives. More popular than amphetamines or ecstasy or opiates. 'Poppers' refer to alkyl nitrates that are inhaled to produce a high. Possession of these inhalants are legal in Ireland.