Repeat Gasoline Huffer Arrested in Britain

Via Opposing Views:

A British man is so addicted to inhaling gasoline that he has been “sent to prison due to his inability to stay away from fuel pumps.”

On December 30^th he was caught twice trying to steal gasoline from local stations. He was arrested, sentenced to 16 months in prison, and ordered to pay $180 to cover damages he caused to the equipment.  

The article notes he tried to get help for his addiction in the past but at one point he was “turned away because he wreaked so strongly of gas that he was deemed a fire hazard.” At one point in previous years he had “sneaked on to the same forecourt 51 times to steal fuel.”  The article also notes that according to Addiction Treatment magazine, inhalant abuse is on the rise.

Australia Concerned About the Increase in Inhalant Abuse in Britain

Via News.com in Australia:

The article notes the increase in young teens abusing nitrous oxide (more commonly referred to by the slang term “hippy crack”) in Britain. British government statistics report more than 350,000 young people as having used the gas as a party or festival drug in the past year.

Australian drug experts are concerned that Australians will follow the trend. According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2010, nearly 4 per cent of Australians aged over 14 have used inhalants at some stage in their life.