Growing Trend of Inhalant Abuse Among Students in Fiji

Via The Fiji Times Online in Fiji

Inhalant abuse is becoming a notable trend in student drug and substance abuse cases despite a 24% reduction in cases reported in both primary and secondary schools last year. According to a study done by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) last year, 23% of students had sniffed glue and benzene out of a total sample of 2,147 students.

"This is a growing trend among school students despite an overall decline in the percentage of drugs and substance abuse among the schooling population," said Education Officer, Talica Malani. The total number of drug and substance abuse cases reported by schools dropped from 526 cases in 2009 to 399 cases in 2010. Malani attributes the drop in reported cases, to vigorous awareness campaigns with various government departments, the police drug unit, non-governmental organizations and religious groups to create an impact on student behavior.

Report: 2010 Drug Use Among Young People In England

Via NHS Information Centre's 2011 report, Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2010

New data from the NHS Information Centre finds that among 11-15 year-olds, 28% of adolescents reported ever being offered any drugs. They were most likely to have been offered cannabis (18%) or volatile substances (10%). However, there has been a decrease in the number of adolescents who reported inhaling volatile substances, from 5.5% in 2009 to 3.8% in 2010.

However, for 73% of 11 and 12 year olds who had taken drugs in the last year, it was restricted to inhaling volatile substances. Volatile substance abuse continues to be the most common form of drug misuse among 11-12 year olds, and second only to cannabis across the whole 11-15 age group.

Risky Behavior On The Decline Among Teens In Tennessee

Via Times Free Press in Tennessee

The recent Youth Risk Behavior Study found that “cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, and sex all experienced a decade of decline among Hamilton County high school students.” According to the study, 45 percent of local teens admitted to currently using one or more illicit substances, while 50 percent said they currently live a risk-free life -- a 6 percent increase since 2002.

Senator Herb Kohl Takes A Stand On Huffing Abuse

Via Ashland Current in Wisconsin

U.S. Senator Herb Kohl asked the Office of National Drug Control Policy “to take steps to ensure that people understand the risks and consequences of huffing common household products.” Kohl specifically requested that the ONDCP include inhalant abuse as part of its larger campaign to curb drug abuse and drugged driving. To help prevent minors from purchasing products that are commonly inhaled, he suggests retailers “verify the customer’s age for certain products to ensure that he or she is at least 18 years old before completing the sale and limiting the number of products that can be purchased at once.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than two million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 have abused inhalants and 12-year olds are more likely to abuse common household products than smoke cigarettes or use marijuana.

Substantial Increase in Inhalant Use Among Children in India

Via Press Information Bureau in India

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) plans to bring awareness to the problem of inhalant abuse by children. The Commission visited five NGOs “to review the prevention, reduction and rehabilitation strategies adopted by the organizations for those suffering from different kinds of addiction.”

According to a study from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the use of “volatile solvents” among children has increased substantially – from 31.0 % in 2008 to 40.5% in 2009.

Island Teenagers to Take Part in Drug Survey

via: Isle of Man, EU

The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) will soon launch its 2011 questionnaire.

ESPAD's 2007 survey showed:
- 17 % of those surveyed used inhalants, which is also about twice the ESPAD average.

- 93% of those surveyed had consumed alcohol within the last 12 months, and 61 percent had been drunk during the same period.

- 24% of those questioned who had smoked cigarettes in the 30 days before the survey,, which was slightly below average.

-34% of the students said they had used cannabis during their lifetime and the proportion reporting use of drugs other than cannabis - 16 per cent - was more than twice the mean.

- 12% used pills in combination with alcohol.

Ace Congratulates SAFE

Congratulations to Substance Abuse Free Environment Inc. (SAFE) for being selected as one of the recipients of the 2010 National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices and Policies! SAFE received the award for its inhalant abuse prevention initiative.

SAFE began its education efforts in the Virginia community of Chesterfield in 1999. Though inhalant abuse was not a well-known issue, data showed inhalants were abused at an alarming rate among local eighth graders.

According to the recent Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, SAFE’s work has helped to reduce this rate. Over the past five years (2005 to 2010), SAFE has reduced lifetime use of inhalants among eighth graders by 44%! Furthermore, use of inhalants in this community during the past 30 days has also dropped by 64% since 2005. To see the entire survey, please click here.

This is a great accomplishment for SAFE and the community their work continues to impact! For more information about their educational programs or to read about how SAFE has inspired hundreds of community volunteers over the years, please visit www.chesterfieldsafe.org.

Survey Reveals Reduced Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, but Increased Inhalant Abuse

Last week, a survey from Erie, PA revealed that Erie County's adolescents are using less drugs and alcohol, but unfortunately inhalant abuse is an exception. Inhalants have been used by 7.2 percent of students in the past 30 days, which is more than double the 3.5 percent reported in 2007.

Amy Eisert, director of the Mercyhurst College Civic Institute, commented that this is because "inhalants are easily found and abused," especially when "availability is everything when it comes to juvenile drug use." However, Eisert remains hopeful, noting that they have implemented prevention programs in various middle schools, which she hopes is working to help the youths make better decisions about substance abuse.

Read more about the survey here.

The Latest National Survey Reveals Inhalant Abuse Statistics

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA) recently released a national survey on substance abuse from 2008 to 2009. The survey revealed that substance abuse has generally increased, and inhalants were particularly popular for first-time substance abusers.

Youth Statistics

- Inhalant abuse rate has not decreased among youths since 2002.

- Inhalants are popular first-time drugs. About 3.1 million people aged over 12 used an illicit drug for the first time in 2009. Among them, a startling 9.8 percent chose inhalants as their first illicit drug.

- Youths also make up the majority of inhalant abusers. In 2009, 0.8 million people aged 12 or older used inhalants, and 67.9 percent of them were under age 18 when they first used inhalants.

- 10.0 percent of all youths aged 12 to 17 were illicit drug users in 2009, and 1.0 percent of them used inhalants.

- Among 12 or 13 year olds, 1.4 percent used inhalants, and 0.8 percent of 14, 15, 16, or 17 year olds used inhalants.

- The average age of first-time inhalant abuser remains under the age of 17 since 2008. In 2008, the average age was 15.9, and in 2009, it was 16.9 years.

Adult Statistics

- Among adults aged 26 or older, 6.3% percent were current illicit drug users in 2009, and inhalants were used by 0.1 percent of them.

Overall Dependency

- About 164,000 people aged 12 or older developed dependence on inhalants in 2009.

Statistical information as well as graphical representation for this report are accredited to SAMHSA's full report, which is available here. Please feel free to check it out for more detailed information on inhalant abuse.

44 Percent Decline in Inhalant Use in Virginia

From the Chesterfield Observer in Virginia:

The SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) annual report for 2007-08 was just released. The organization is “a coalition of members of Chesterfield County government, schools and the community, have been addressing alcohol and drug issues among the county's youth population since 1993.”

The report shows a “44 percent decrease in inhalant abuse among eighth-grade students over the past two years.”

Visit www.chesterfieldsafe.org for more information about the report – and about their inhalant prevention activities.

New Jersey program addresses inhalants

From the Daily Journal in Vineland, NJ:

The Southwest Council, an alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention and education agency with offices in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, will host a conference on inhalants on Oct. 10. Isabel Burke, Director of the Health Network, will be the key speaker.

Why is New Jersey putting on such a program?

In 2005, New Jersey's "Youth Risk Behavior Survey" reported that 10.1% of New Jersey students said they used inhalants to get high!

"Inhalants are the 4th most-abused substance after alcohol, tobacco and marijuana," said Joe Williams, executive director for The Southwest Council. He goes on to say that "[m]ost parents don't know that inhalants, because they are cheap, legal and accessible products, are as popular among middle school students as marijuana."

To learn more about this program click here

Binge Drinking and Inhalant Abuse

In this morning’s news alerts, we came across an interesting item regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s new campaign “Let’s Make it a Safe Summer. Don’t Serve Alcohol to Teens.”

Towards the end of the release, an interesting note caught our attention: “Teens who drink are at more likely than nondrinkers to ride with a drinking driver; have unwanted, unintended, and unprotected sexual activity; use tobacco; experience interpersonal violence; consider or attempt suicide; and use marijuana, cocaine, or inhalants.”

Called over to the FTC’ Bureau of Consumer Protection and they were extremely helpful in sending the citation to support this statement. “J.W. Miller et al., Binge Drinking and Associated Health Risk Behaviors Among High School Students, 119 Pediatrics 76-85 (2007).

The table includes “current inhalant use” (which is defined as “sniffed glue, breathed aerosol spray, or inhaled paints one or more times during the past 30 days”)

TABLE 3 (last line) Prevalence and AOR of Risk Behaviors Among US High School Students According to Drinking Status, 2003

• All respondents: 4% current inhalant use.
  
  
• Non-drinkers: 1% current inhalant use.
  
  
• Current Drinkers Who Did Not Binge Drink: 2.7 % current inhalant use. (Adjusted odds ratio: 3.2%)
  
  
• Current Drinkers Who Binge Drank: 8.8% current inhalant use. (Adjusted odds ratio: 12.3%)

The correlation between binge drinking and increased inhalant use is indeed startling.

Survey in Erie Shows Inhalant Use Up

The Civic Institute and Erie County Health Department in Pennsylvania just released the results of a county-wide survey of middle and high schoolers yesterday.

The creators of the study were concerned about accurate results, so Amy Eisert, the director of the Civic Institute, came up with a solution: "We included trick questions in the survey. One of them was that we listed a make-believe drug and asked students if they ever used it. If they said yes, we tossed out their survey."

Some highlights:

• The number of students who gambled in the last year was down, from 35% two years ago to 29%.
• Students who smoked in the last thirty days declined from 12.4% to 11.5%.
• Binge drinking and marijuana usage also decreased.

However, inhalant usage increased 1%.

The superintendent of Erie Schools, Jim Barker, was not surprised.

He says that the survey "mirrors what's happening in the state and across the nation," and that the report presented "clear reasons why schools, community agencies and parents have to work together" to prevent students from using drugs or alcohol.

Charlotte Berringer, the director of community health for the county Health Department, believes that "reports like this are invaluable because agencies who apply for funding need to show good, hard data. This report will help us put in evidence-based programming to deal with some of these issues."

Hopefully inhalant abuse will be addressed and more education provided in Erie County schools.

From GoErie.com.

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.

Great Advice on Helium.com

Helium.com has eight different articles written about inhalants, all containing important information about inhalant abuse.

Eric Buckingham describes the telltale warning signs and the damage that inhaling chemicals can do to your body. He asks parents to,

"Look around the house and trash for lots of empty cans or containers that should not be there. Huffing will also leave its mark on the face and hands of the addict. Depending on their pattern of abuse they can huff the chemical directly from the can, put it in a brown paper bag, and even soak a towel or cloth in it and inhale it that way. So watch for these items as well."

Effie Moore Salem referenced ACE and explains that kids may abuse inhalants,

"because they mistakenly believe that since these chemicals are so regularly used and common they are safe. The initial reaction is a high' or a funny feeling that they like. Their friends do it and they are urged to try it. Like other stimulants, it is addicting and once a habit is formed it is hard to break."

Valli Sarvani advises parents to:

"Teach early: Educate kids between ages 7 and 12 to think of toxic household products as poisons. Explain them how, many items produces gases that can make sick. If your children help with cleaning involving dangerous products, guide them to read the label warnings and directions.

Discuss only the dangers: Teach your kids how people abuse household products before they enter middle school. Explain them these products are as dangerous as alcohol and drugs. Discuss only the risks, and avoid mentioning specific items.

Be a friend: Parents are the most powerful influence on their teens. Be proactive and use that influence early and often. Talk to them as a friend in a positive tone. Give them assurance that you won't punish them.

Talk more frequently: Studies revealed that kids who learn a lot about the risks of inhalants or drugs from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use them. So discuss with them as many times as you can.

Monitor your child: Monitor your child's activities. If you suspect your child huffing, ask about it directly. At that time avoid using accusatory language. If your child dislikes discussing with you, seek counseling immediately."

Rachel Mcclain offers great advice throughout her article, beginning by saying,

"if someone offered my young son a bopper, a popper, a snapper or even something as potential innocuous sounding as a glading, I would probably let him extend his hand and make him say please and thank you. The trouble is, they aren't going to offer him these things while I'm around.

That's because these are street names for huffing. When you use the other names, like head cleaner, poor man's pot, hippie crack, bullet, bolt and rush among a few, it doesn't sound so innocent. If you didn't recognize a single one of those names, you probably aren't alone.

One of the best ways to protect your children against something like huffing is to learn what it is, and learn what the warning signs are so you can recognize it in your own child or in one of his or her friends."

Callista Meyer warns that,

"being a risky yet cheap, legal alternative to getting high, the ages most commonly associated with inhalant abuse are 12 to 15 years old. More often than not these early teens are trying inhalants before they even attempt smoking. There for it is important to discuss the risks with your child before they enter junior high as this is when peer pressure reaches a peak."

All of the articles provide great information and statistics about inhalant abuse. Found another great source of information? Email us at info@consumered.org.

Coverage

NIPAW continues to bring an increase in headlines for inhalant abuse.

eFluxMedia: "US Teens Prefer Inhalants to Marijuana".

Fox News: "Report: "Young Teens Favor Inhalants to Get High".

Pacific News Center: "PEACE Spreads Word Against Inhalants".

KTHV at 5:00: "Dangers of Huffing".

Addiction Help Services: "Addiction Help for 20% of the Population".

Healthy Kids Today: "Inhalants Are Drug of Choice for Youngest Users".

WSYR 9: "Teens Get High On Inhalants".

Inhalant Abuse High in Guam

The Pacific Daily News reported yesterday that inhalant abuse is becoming a serious issue for youth in Guam. Middle-school students report a higher rate of use than high schoolers, and females are more likely to use than males.

Inhalant abuse is illegal in Guam, and they also regulate the sale of butane, propane, and other inhalants to minors.

GetHealthyGuam.org is holding a contest to design a poster to raise awareness about the dangers of inhalant use for NIPAW. The winner receives a scholarship to attend the 2008 Youth for Youth conference.

Media Coverage

National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week is March 16-23 and it appears that several communities around the country are already bringing up this issue.

In Central Maine, the Morning Sentinal published an article called, "In Plain Sight: Kids Getting High On Stuff Found In Most Homes". They featured a 21-year-old named Brian Buzzell II who began using inhalants at age 13. His story is an ominous warning of what dangers can be found with inhalant abuse:

Brian Robert Buzzell II of Waterville has permanent memory loss and slurred speech as a result of huffing.

Now 21, he first used inhalants at 13, while an eighth grader at Lawrence Junior High School in Fairfield. He and eight schoolmates bought whipping cream cans at local supermarkets and used them to get high. The cans' pressurized propellent, nitrous oxide (N20), is an intoxicating agent.

They stashed the cans in their backpacks. Between classes, they'd race to the bathroom and huff, Buzzell said.

"I was like a vegetable. When I'd go into my next class, I'd stare out into space. I wouldn't do the work."

Buzzell, who stopped huffing at 19, said while he was getting high he would have sudden nose bleeds, frequent headaches and blurriness in his eyes.

"I could hear something in my head. It felt like my brain cells were dying -- a popping sound. I was 15 when I started noticing memory lapses.

Now, Buzzell said, he will be in the middle of a conversation and forget why he placed the call. "It happens all the time," he said.

His mother, Dawn Buzzell of Fairfield, took him to doctors when his memory problems surfaced, he said.

"A doctor at the emergency room said I was killing my brain cells." Chest X-rays showed his lungs were congested from heavy smoking and huffing.

Withdrawal from inhalant use was difficult, Buzzell said. Symptoms included shakes, cold and sweating, vomiting and diarrhea.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Inhaling or 'Huffing' Legal Products - Lethal Results", parents are warned to keep on the lookout for aerosol products that are disappearing at a suspicious rate. One woman's air conditioner needed repairing often and her whipped cream canisters were emptied. The article also highlights Sgt. Jeff Williams, who describes the warning signs of inhalant abuse in a child.

Elsewhere in Virginia - the News Virginian published an article about "City Teenagers Sniffing Inhalants; Officials at Loss On Prevention". It details the statistics of students in the Waynesboro-Staunton area who are abusing inhalants, as well as questioning how much children should be told about them.

The Voices Newspaper of Connecticut offered information about an upcoming seminar for parents on March 18th that focuses on different drug and alcohol risks to children, as well as information about inhalants.

"The substances we talk about in this program are all available in the house," [Jennifer DeWitt] told Voices. "Inhalants can be found under every kitchen counter, alcohol is available in the fridge, the garage or in the bar and prescription medications are available in the bathroom medicine cabinet."

Lots of time, she said, parents look for signs of illicit drug use, but they're not aware of the dangers to be found at home.

"We give parents and other adults education about what these substances are," she said, "how kids use them to get high, signs to look for that kids are using these substances and specific language to use when talking with them about prevention."

The program will also describe Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome as well as conduct a question and answer session after the forum.

The Tuscaloosa News of Alabama featured a letter to the editor entitled "Educate to Stop 'Huffing'", written by Lois Palecek, the executive director of PRIDE, an organization devoted to keeping kids drug-free. The letter begins,

Dear Editor: If you think 'huffing' is just something the Three Little Pigs had to watch out for, the wolf may come knocking at your door. Huffing, bagging and sniffing are terms for inhalant use, a cheap, legal and easy way that young people in Tuscaloosa get high.Parents are often out of the loop when it comes to inhalants. Children discuss it and practice it: adults stay in the dark.

The week of March 16-23 is National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week. PRIDE of Tuscaloosa supports effort to educate parents and young people about this deadly practice.The goal? To take the 'silent' out of this silent epidemic. Most parents know to talk to their kids about marijuana, date rape and drinking because they have enough knowledge about these issues, but inhalants are an informational blind spot.

The letter continues to provide information about PRIDE as well as resources available about inhalant abuse.

NBC 12 in Virginia raised awareness for informational meetings for parents in the article, "Dangers of Inhalants: Prevalent in Middle, High Schools". ABC 3 brought it up as well.

The Associated Press wrote an article called "Inhalant Abuse Target of Groups, Gov't." It listed the statistic collected from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America in which students were questioned in 2001 and 2002, and when asked if someone could die from sniffing products like gasoline or hair spray, 68% of students answered 'yes' in 2001 versus only 56% in 2002.

Hopefully March 16-23 will see more create more media and parental awareness about inhalant abuse.

Maryland Study Shows Inhalant Use Rising

An Oceanside, Maryland survey shows that while the percent of students using some drugs has decreased, inhalant use is still on the rise. Here are some of the statistics presented for 7th grade students, showing usage compared to the study results of 2001:

• Alcohol use is down, from 32% to 30%.
• Marijuana use is up, from 12% to 13%.
• Inhalant use showed the greatest increase, from 13% to 16%.

About 70% of the students participated in the anonymous survey. 11th graders showed the most drastic decrease in drug and alcohol use, but the inhalant results for that age group weren't disclosed in the articles. Randi Gibson, director of student support services, attributes the decrease in use to the school district's prevention programs.

After talking to Jim Shirley, a program specialist at Oceanside, we have more detailed results of the survey. Here are the two questions asked about inhalant use and their responses, according to grade and year.

1. During your life, did you ever use inhalants?

5th grade:

• 2001 - 4%
• 2003 - 3%
• 2005 - 5%
• 2007 - 4%

9th grade:

• 2001 - 19%
• 2003 - 14%
• 2005 - 18%
• 2007 - 15%

11th grade:

• 2001 - 14%
• 2003 - 12%
• 2005 - 13%
• 2007 - 14%

2. In the past thirty days, did you use inhalants?

5th grade: (not given)

7th grade:

• 2001 - 4%
• 2003 - 6%
• 2005 - 7%
• 2007 - 8%

9th grade:

• 2001 - 9%
• 2003 - 5%
• 2005 - 6%
• 2007 - 3%

11th grade:

• 2001 - 3%
• 2003 - 4%
• 2005 - 3%
• 2007 - 3%

Drug and Alcohol Survey in Texas

350,000 students in grades 4-12 are taking the Texas School Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use, which asks age-appropriate questions in order to procure the most accurate information about what substances children have used in the past. Their most recent survey from 2004 provides some startling facts about inhalants. For children in grades 4 through 6, inhalants were the second most common drug, with more children using them than cigarettes and marijuana combined. Other interesting facts taken from the survey:

• The average age that elementary students first used inhalants was 9.4 years.
• Increases in inhalant use between 2002-2004 were larger in girls than in boys.
• Students not living with both parents were more likely to report inhalant use than students from two-parent families.
• The most commonly used inhalant was correction fluid, followed by glue, spray paint, and gasoline.
• More than half of lifetime inhalant users admitted having used at least two different kinds of inhalants.

From the survey of students in grades 7-12:

• Younger students were two to three times more likely to use inhalants than older students.
• An average of 17% of high-school students have used inhalants.
• 54% of students thought that it was easy or somewhat easy to get inhalants.
• Correction fluid and liquid or spray paint were the most common inhalants, followed by nitrous oxide, gasoline, and paint thinner.

To reiterate: it is never too early to start talking to your kids about inhalant use.