New Data Show Increased Inhalant Abuse by Children

A national campaign being rolled out this spring, with pilot programs in schools in six states, is intended to educate parents and the public about the growing threat of inhalant abuse, according to the non-profit Alliance for Consumer Education and the American School Counselor Association, joint sponsors of the initiative. Recent data show that inhalant abuse has increased over recent years, and inhalants tend to be the substance tried first by children, beginning as early as age 6. Seventy-one percent of new users are under the age of 18, and one in five adolescents reports having used inhalants before eighth grade. A major problem is that inhalants are so readily available?more than 1,400 commonly used products, including air freshener, correction fluid, nail polish remover, pressurized whipped cream, felt-tipped markers, hair spray, glue, spray paint, gasoline, cooking spray, and butane lighters have been used by youngsters to "get high," the campaign?s sponsors point out. Abuse can kill a child the first time he or she "sniffs" or "huffs" and can permanently damage the heart, kidneys, liver, and brain, but many adults are unaware of the dangers or doubt that their children are abusers. The six states with inhalant awareness programs in selected schools this spring are Alaska, Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.