Adolescent Inhalant Use Continues to Rise

(I-Newswire) January 3, 2006 - The results of the 2005 Monitoring the Future survey showed that inhalant use remains high among adolescents, with another slight increase for 12th grade students. The high range and rise in use comes just a year after a significant jump of inhalant use by 8th graders from 2002 to 2004.

Use of inhalants has consistently been highest among 8th graders, which is a reversal of the usual pattern of use across grades since the drug use is usually higher among 12 graders. The reported perceived dangers of inhalant use have declined among both 8th and 10th graders over the last four years now. Disapproval of inhalant use has also slipped a bit in 8th grade in recent years.

Inhalants are generally classified into three categories, solvents, gases and nitrates. Examples of these chemicals include paint thinners, glue, gasoline, butane, nitrous oxide, ether, cleaning products and aerosol sprays for paint, hair and deodorant.

Most of the chemicals that are sniffed or "huffed" are commonly found in the household, where young children and adolescents can easily obtain them.

Use of inhalants brings many negative effects on a person aside from the initial high they may feel. Adverse effects of sniffing toxins include damage to the liver, lungs, kidneys and brain, which opens up to a variety of symptoms and illnesses. Sniffing high concentrations of some chemicals can cause heart failure and even death.

"We've seen what inhalants can do to a person," comments Gary W. Smith, who is a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor and is the Executive Director of Narconon Arrowhead. The center is one of the nation's largest and most successful drug rehabilitation and education programs by using the effective drug-free methodology developed by L. Ron Hubbard. "After years of inhalant abuse there are very definite signs of damage, even when the person is now drug-free."

National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week is in March each year. According to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration last year, 12 and 13 year-olds who used inhalants were more likely to experiment with other drugs in the future and engage in delinquent behavior than kids who never tried sniffing.

Effective drug education and prevention programs can help reverse this trend and the behavior associated with it. Programs like Narconon Arrowhead can help. For more information about Narconon Arrowhead or to get help for a loved one in need, call 1-800-468-6933 today or visit www.stopaddiction.com.

You may also view more statistics on inhalant and other drug use among teens at www.monitoringthefuture.org. The survey is conducted annually by the University of Michigan and is funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to assess drug use among 8th, 10th and 12th grade students.

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