Drug Resistance Education Needed for Teens

Via: The Legal Examiner

New York, New York: A Survey conducted by the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, NIH, found that there has been a decline in the perceived risk of using certain substances. There was a decrease in the amount of 10th graders that found the regular use of inhalants to be harmful.

New National Inhalant Data: Inhalant Use on the Decline

 Via United Press International:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released its “Recent Declines in Adolescent Inhalant Use” which was based on their 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 

 
The report revealed that US teens ages 12 to 17 using inhalants decreased from 820,000 in 2011 to about 650,000 in 2012.  Additionally, rates decreased from 4.4 percent in 2006 to 2.6 percent in 2012. 

In December last year, Monitoring the Future also showed a decline in inhalant use. For further info on that study, click here.

2 Colorado Teens Lucky to "Just Be Facing Charges" of Huffing

 Via Montrose Daily Press


Police officers were called to a location in Montrose, Colorado after a report of two youths huffing on the side of a building.  The two girls, both fourteen years old, were caught huffing aerosol cleaner.  Police said the girls were lucky to only be facing possible charges.  "It's dangerous.  The stuff that (they) were inhaling is very dangerous and very toxic," a Montrose Police Officer said.

New National Inhalant Data Finds Inhalant Abuse on the Rise

This morning the Partnership at DrugFree.org released their 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS).  For the full study results, click here.

On page 3: “Teen Substance Abuse By Ethnicity (Used at least once in the past year)” shows that from 2011 to 2012 inhalant abuse has INCREASED for both Hispanic and African American teens. 

 From 2011 to 2012, use of an inhalant at least once in the past year:

•  12% of Hispanic teens (an increase from 11% in 2011) 
•  8% of African American teens (an increase from 6% in 2011)
•  5% of Caucasian teens (remaining steady at 5% from 2011)

On page 4: "Approval of Peer Substance Abuse" shows: 13% of Hispanic Teens, 7% of African American teens and 6% of Caucasian teens approve/strongly approve of "sniffing or huffing things to get high:

On page 6: "Perception of Risk" shows: 82% of Hispanic Teens, 84% of African American teens and 90% of Caucasian teens feel that "sniffing or inhaling things to get high can kill you."

PA Coroner Identifies Inhalant Abuse as Cause of Death in Two Cases

Via the Herald Mail in Maryland:

The Franklin County, Pennsylvania Coroners 2010 annual report identified inhalant abuse as the cause of death for a 16 year old boy from Waynesboro, PA.

The report notes that the boy died on September 19th, the night he was involved in a car accident. The cause of death is listed as “acute difluoroethane toxicity, and the report does not attribute his death to injuries suffered in the accident.”

The article also points out that the same cause of death is also identified for a suicide in St Thomas, PA on April 24, 2010. The Coroner remarked that 2010 “presented the first cases he had encountered of death by huffing.”

Man Caught Huffing Paint in South Carolina

From WYFF in South Carolina:

This past Sunday, a deputy noticed a man stagger out of the woods near an Interstate overpass. As the deputy got closer he realized the man was “unstable on his feet and had slurred speech.” In addition, he had silver paint all over his mouth and nose.

The man admitted he had been huffing and was arrested on a charge of public disorderly conduct and booked into the local detention center.

Inhalant Use Up Among 8th Graders in Lake County, Illinois

From the HighlandPark News in Illinois:

An interesting related inhalant note in this article on the results of the 2010 Illinois Youth Survey for Lake County students:

At the middle school level, eighth-graders' use of inhalants increased from 6% to 7% from 2008 to 2010.

California Survey Results for Inhalant Use by Lafayette 7th Graders

Via the Lamorinda Patch in California:

The California Healthy Kids Survey results for Lafayette’s seventh graders was just released. The survey notes:

• 5% of the students have used inhalants
• 2% of the students have used inhalants within the past 30 days
• Statewide, 5% of the students have reported using inhalants within the past 30 days

Interesting New National Inhalant Data from Monitoring the Future

Yesterday the results of the 2009 Monitoring the Future national report were released.

Figure 9 of the report details "Inhalants: Trends in Annual Use, Risk, and Disapproval in Grades 8, 10, and 12"

Tables 1-3 get into more specific details on comparative 2009 and 2010 inhalant use for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders:

• Lifetime use of inhalant for all three grades has decreased from 2009 (8th grade= -.5%; 10th grade= -.3%; 12th grade= -.4%) -table 1
• Annual use of inhalants has decreased for 8th & 10th but INCREASED for 12th (8th= -.1%, 10th = -.4%; 12th= +.2%)
• 30 day use of inhalants has decreased for 8th & 10th but INCREASED for 12th (8th = -.2%; 10th= -.2%; 12th=+.2%)

Table 6 shows that risk perception for 10th graders has increased from 2009-2010

Table 8 shows no change in 8th graders disapproval of using inhalants "once or twice" but an increase in their disapproval of inhalants regularly.

Table 9 shows a decrease in 10th graders disapproval of using inhalants both "regularly" and "once or twice" a week.

7th Grade Inhalant Use in California

Via the Lamorinda Patch in California:

The article discusses the California Healthy Kids Survey results for 7^th grade students at Orinda middle school. The survey revealed that 9% of the 7^th graders have used inhalants, compared to 11% statewid

Publish Post

e. For past 30 day use, 3% had used inhalants.

Inhalant Data from 2010 Arizona Youth Survey

Via AZJournal.com in Arizona:

The results of the 2010 Arizona Youth Survey (conducted by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission) were recently released. Inhalant specific information in the report includes:

• 10.9% of Navajo County students surveyed reported that they had used inhalants to get high at least once.
• The percentage of students reporting use of inhalants has dropped over the last four years.
  
• In 2008, 11.5% of all students reported using inhalants at least once (in 2006, the total was 13.5% )
• The statewide average for 2010 is 12.3% while the nationwide average is 12.5%.
  
• Lifetime use =10.8% of eighth grade students, 10.5% of 10th grade students & 11.6% of high school seniors.
• statewide average of 14.5% for eighth grade, 11.8% for 10th 9.4 % for 12th.
• nationwide average is 14.9% for eighth, 12.8 for 10th and 9.5 for 12th.
• A total of 2.7% of Navajo County students reported having used inhalants within 30 days of the survey. (3% of eighth graders, 2.8% of 10th graders & 2.7% of high school seniors.

Inhalant Data for Moraga Elementary in California

Via the Lamorinda Patch in California:

The article references how 5th and 7th grade students in Moraga answered the 2010 California Healthy Kids Survey. “Inhalant and marijuana use is higher among seventh-graders than fifth-graders in the district, eight percent and five percent, respectively”

In looking at the results in more detail:

Moraga Elementary 5th Graders:
“Have you Ever Used Inhalants To Get High”

• Females 1%
• Males 2%

Moraga Elementary/Secondary: 7th Graders

Overall Inhalant Use in the Past 30 Days : 3% of students

“Have you Ever Used Inhalants To Get High”

• 0 times: 92%
• 1 time: 4%
• 2-3 times: 2%
• 4 times: 2%

Lifetime Inhalant Use:

• Females: 4%
• Males: 10%

Past 30 Days:

• Females: 4%
• Males: 2%

Comparative lifetime inhalant use:

• This District: 8%
• California: 11%

Comparative 30 day inhalant use:

• This District: 3%
• California: 5%

Inhalant Abuse Data from Fairfax, Virginia

Via Fairfax City Patch in Virginia:

Fairfax County's 2009 Youth Survey results revealed that while drug use tends to be on the decline in the county, "younger students tend to use inhalants rather than other drugs."

The article also points out that:

• Inhalant use for students in eighth, 10th and 12th grades is slightly above the national average in the past 30 days, with 3.3% reporting recent use
  
• Inhalant use is the second most common drug behavior for eighth-graders in the county
  
• Among all students surveyed, 10.3% reported ever using inhalants
  
• Unlike other substances, abuse of inhalants decreases with age
  
• 5.4% of eighth-graders used inhalants in the previous 30 days, only 1.8 percent of 12th-graders reported using them.
  
• Inhalant use seems to be on the rise among eighth-grade students.
  
• While 7.8 percent of 12th-graders and 9.7 percent of 11th-graders report ever trying inhalants, 13.4 percent of eighth-graders have.
  
• The majority of respondents across demographics, however, reported using inhalants only once or twice.
  

19 Year Old Minnesota Man Injured Two in Inhalant Related Crash

A 19 year old man was sentenced to 90 days in jail, five years probation and a $500 fine for injuring two passengers while driving under the influence of inhalants. The judge also ordered restitution in an undetermined amount.

The Hastings, Minnesota resident plead guilty to two felony counts of Criminal Vehicular Operation (causing great bodily harm while under the influence of a hazardous substance). The charges stemmed from a car crash last August that left two teen passengers suffering from broken bones and lacerations.

Please note this is a follow up to an earlier story found here.

Inhalant Abuse on the Rise in Illinois

From WTHI in Indiana:

In a follow-up story to the inhalant related fatality--some interesting Illinois inhalant data:

• In East Central Illinois officials say they seeing a slight increase in inhalant use.
• More than 15% of youths report having tried inhalants.
• That number has increased from 13% since 2006.
• The most common age for usage of inhalants is during junior high.

Boys Found with Spice- Arrested for Inhalant Abuse

From The Standard Journal in Idaho:

Last week two boys were found in possession of “Spice, tobacco and drug paraphernalia.” Police found the two in a parked car behind a medical office building.

The boys were “issued misdemeanor citations for possession of inhalants by a minor and underage possession of tobacco.” The police department’s policy is that “smoking Spice falls under Idaho's prohibition of use of inhalants by juveniles.”

The boys were questioned and released to their parents.

The article notes that “Spice is a legally available blend of herbs sprayed with chemicals that can be used as a substitute for marijuana.” More info can be found here.

Teen Boy Dies on Guam-Butane Suspected

Via Pacific Daily News on Guam:

A teenage was found dead earlier this week, a can of butane found alongside him. The butane is suspected as the cause of death.

The article notes "it is illegal to see butane to minors on Guam since 2005 but that police didn’t start enforcing the law until 2006, after the inhalant claimed the life of a 14 year old boy”

Inhalant Abuse: 5th Graders in California

Via NBC Los Angeles:

Nearly 1,000 students from Hemet School District took part in the California Healthy Kids Survey. The survey results which were recently released show that 6% of the 5th graders admitted they had tried an inhalant such as glue.

Arrested in Texas on Inhalant Related Warrants

From the Mineral Wells Index in Texas:

Yesterday’s police blotter lists an inhalant related offense. A 30 year old man was picked up on a “warrant to revoke probation for possession or use of an inhalant” and on “a warrant for possession or use of an inhalant.”

Inhalant Abuse & Runaways

Interesting research study via BMC Public Health:

“Running away experience and psychoactive substance use among adolescents in Taiwan: multi-city street outreach survey”- Published: 20 January 2010

A few of the study's findings follows below:

• The lifetime risk of inhalant use increased steadily from adolescents who had experienced a trial runaway episode (one time lasting ≤ 1 day), to those with extended runaway experience (≥ 2 times or lasting > 1 day), when compared to those who had never ran away.
  
• Adolescents who had their first running away experience > 6 months previously had a greater risk of inhalant use over the past 6-months than those with a similar experience within the last 6 months.
  
• Both alcohol and tobacco use were most frequently initiated before the first running away,
  whereas inhalant use was most frequently initiated after this event
  
• When adolescents who were fleeing an unsatisfactory home life were compared to
  those who ran away for excitement, the former tended to have a higher risk of inhalant use.