March 18-24th, 2012, is National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week (NIPAW). Every year, this week represents an opportunity to educate people about the dangers of inhalant abuse while supporting those who have been affected by inhalant abuse. Countless people are unaware of the dangers and fatalities associated with abusing household items for the purposes of “getting high.”
Fast Facts about Inhalant Abuse*
- The average age of first time users was 16.3 years
- 68.4 percent of first time users were under age 18
- 793,000 people aged 12+ used inhalants for the first time in 2010.
What can you do?
During NIPAW, start a conversation at work or talk to a friend about inhalant abuse. Many communities around the nation hold special programs or write articles to raise awareness about inhalant abuse prevention. If you are planning an event, please contact me so we can add it to this blog and/or our community message board.
You can make a difference in your community and potentially save a life by educating yourself about this pressing issue! Please visit http://www.inhalant.org/ to check out our electronic Inhalant Abuse Prevention Kit and for more information.
*All statistics from 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/2k10Results.pdf
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