New Inhalant Study in India: Results Released

Via the Hindustan Times in India:

The results of a recent study by the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (“Profile of inhalant users seeking treatment at a de-addiction centre in north India”) were released.  The study was carried out by the institute’s psychiatry department and published in the May issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Research.  It was based on the records of 92 treatment seekers for inhalant addiction at the institute’s Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre over 10 years (2002-2011).and found that the principal sources of inhalant abuse were typewriter correction fluids and the majority of subjects initiated it out of curiosity.

• The most common inhalant used was typewriter correction fluid (73.6%), followed by typewriter diluent fluid (19.5%) and glue (6.9%). 
•  The mean age of onset of inhalant use was 16.3 years.
  

Bermuda Releases Student Drug Survey

Via The Royal Gazette in Bermuda:

This week, Bermuda released the results of the 2011 National School Survey, which contains data on substance abuse in students (the survey can be viewed here).

The survey found that the average age of a student’s first use of inhalants was 9.3 years. The survey noted that inhalant use does decrease as students get older, but Judith Burgess does not find this comforting. Ms. Burgess is the executive director of PRIDE Bermuda (Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education). She says that the decrease in inhalant abuse could indicate that students are moving on to other drugs as they get older.

The survey also found that students cited “sensation seeking” as the main reason for trying drugs. Ms. Burgess notes, “I would say that especially with that risk factor of sensation seeking being higher than I for one estimated, they are likely seeking sensation at that young age. If they start at that age I don’t think they are just going to stop.”

Ms. Burgess has said that her organization will look at developing drug education for younger students.

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.

Inhalant Abuse & Emergency Room Visits

The American Journal of Emergency Medicine recently published epidemiologic survey data regarding marijuana and emergency room visits.

The study included an interesting parallel note about inhalant abuse: Respondents who reported lifetime use of inhalants were 6.2% more likely most likely to report experiencing one or more ED visits related to their drug use.

Utah Curbing Inhalant Abuse

From The Herald Journal (June 27):

Utah has something to cheer about after a recent survey showed steady declines in inhalant abuse. The Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey, a semi-annual assessment of youth drug use, captures information from sixth thru 12th grade students. The newest data indicates inhalant abuse declined by nearly 50% since 2007.

The encouraging trend was seen among 6th graders. The 2005 data showed 3.2 percent of sixth-graders repoted using inhalants. "In 2007 and 2009, that number at 2 percent. In 2009, the state reported 1.9 percent."

New Jersey School Ponders Random Drug Testing

From Suburban News (June 24):

A New Jersey high school will soon vote on whether to uphold a random drug testing policy among its student body. Following a survey, school officials believed testing would help deter drug use and identify at-risk students. The policy would require students participating in an extracurricular activity to agree to random drug testing potential candidate.

Early indications suggest the controversial policy will remain in place. "The Board is in support of it, I can tell you that." the board president shared. However, everyone is not on board as others voiced concern about the random testing, saying their should be other options. "The Board should consider letting parents have the privilege to opt out."

The survey that commenced the firestorm recorded drug use among students in grades 9, 10, and 11. Out of 324 students 197 returned the survey yielding the following information:

• More than half of 9th and 10th graders said they had never used drugs.
• Alcohol, followed by cigarettes, was most commonly used.
• 26% of 11th graders admitted to moderate drug use.
• Five 9th graders indicated they had used inhalants.

Have your say: Should schools be allowed to conduct random drug tests?

Study: One Third of Deaths Related to Inhalant Abuse

From PubMed.gov:

A recent study examining accidental deaths tied to inhalant abuse found an alarming trend. Researchers looked at data from 2000 to 2008 housed at the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. They found recreational use caused 32 deaths while inhaling compressed chemicals caused one in three deaths.

The complete abstract and more information is available here.

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.

Surprising Reasons for Student Drug Use

From digtriad.com , August 4th, 2008

A New York study reveals new insight into the reasons why teens use drugs.

The study shows that of 6,511 polled teens, 73% report that school stress and pressure is the main reason for drug use. “Ironically, only 7% of parents believe that teens use drugs to cope with stress.”

Over the past decade, studies have indicated a steady changing trend in what teens perceive as the motivations for using drugs. The "to have fun" rationales are declining, while motivations to use drugs to solve problems are increasing.

On the positive side, the study confirms that overall abuse remains in a steady decline among teens. Marijuana, ecstasy, inhalants, methamphetamine alcohol and cigarette usage continue to decrease.