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"Inhalants" by The term "inhalants" refers to more than a thousand different household and commercial products that can be intentionally abused by sniffing or "huffing" (inhaling through one's mouth) for an intoxicating effect. These products are composed of volatile solvents and substances commonly found in commercial adhesives, lighter fluids, cleaning solutions, gasoline, paint, glue and paint products. Easy accessibility, low cost, and ease of concealment make inhalants, for many, one of the first substances abused. Common modes of administration entail sniffing or huffing directly from the containers of products such as rubber cement or correction fluid, sniffing fumes from plastic bags over the head, or sniffing cloth saturated with the substance. The substance may also be inhaled directly from an aerosol can or out of alternative containers such as a balloon filled with nitrous oxide. Some volatile substances may release intoxicating vapors when heated. Typically, first use of inhalants occurs between late childhood and early adolescence. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Help there were an estimated 1,125,000 new inhalant users in 2001, up from 86,000 in 1965. In 2002 of those surveyed aged 12 and older, 22,870,000 (9.7% of the population) reported using an inhalant at least once in their lifetime. According to the Monitoring the Future Study; during 2003, 11.2% of 12th graders, 12.7% of 10th graders, and 15.8% of 8th graders have used an inhalant in their lifetime. During this same time period, 1.5% of seniors, 2.2% of 10th, and 4.1% of 8th graders had used inhalants in the past month. The Monitoring the Future Study also tracks trends in perceived risk and disapproval of use. In 2002, 8th and 10th graders were asked questions about the degree of risk they associate with inhalant use; 42.8% of 8th graders and 48.7% of 10th graders reported feeling that using inhalants once or twice a week was a "great risk." In addition, 69.9% of 8th graders and 73.4% of 10th graders reported that using inhalants regularly was a great risk. In 2002, 86.1% of the 8th graders and 88.6% of 10th graders disapproved of people who try inhalants once or twice. In addition, 90.4% of 8th graders and 91.8% of 10th graders disapproved of taking inhalants regularly. Among college students surveyed during 2002, 7.7% reported using inhalants during their lifetime and 0.7% reported using inhalants in the 30 days before being surveyed. Nearly 12.4% of young adults between the ages of 19 and 28 reported using inhalants during their lifetime; 0.5% reported using inhalants in the 30 days before being surveyed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS), 14.7% of high school students surveyed nationwide had used an inhalant during their lifetime. Female students (14.9%) were equally as likely as male students (14.5%) to report lifetime inhalant use. Students in grade 9 (17.4%) were more likely than students in grades 10, 11, and 12 (14.0%, 13.8%, and 12.5%, respectively) to report lifetime inhalant use. Approximately 4.7% of high school students reported inhalant use within the 30 days preceding the survey. While different in composition, most abused inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which slow the body's functions. Inhalants cause intoxicating effects when administered via the nose or mouth into the lungs in sufficient quantities. If taken repeatedly, intoxication may last a few minutes or several hours. At first, users may feel slightly stimulated; with successive inhalations, they may feel less inhibited and less in control; finally, a user can lose consciousness. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can cause heart failure or death, especially when abuse of fluorocarbons or butane-type gases is involved. Additionally, high concentrations of inhalants can lead to the displacement of oxygen in the lungs and central nervous system resulting in death by suffocation. Permanent effects caused by the use of inhalants include hearing loss, peripheral neuropathies or limb spasms, central nervous system or brain damage, and bone marrow damage. Additional serious side effects include liver and kidney damage as well as blood oxygen depletion. The number of emergency department (ED) mentions involving inhalants decreased from 1,141 mentions in 2000 to 522 mentions in 2001. During 2002, the number of inhalant ED mentions increased to 1,496. In 2002, the patients with the highest amount of mentions were the 26 to 34 age group, with 474 mentions followed by the 35 and older age group with 408 mentions. Male patients had a total of 944 mentions while females had 482 mentions in 2002. In 2001, there were 1,234 admissions to treatment facilities in which inhalants were the primary substance of abuse, accounting for approximately 0.1% of all admissions. Inhalant admissions were primarily male (73%), white (71%), and young (46% under 20 years old). Those admitted to treatment for primary inhalant use began use at an early age-27% used inhalants by age 12, and another 28% used inhalants by age 14. According to the 1997 Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Survey of Inmates in Adult State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 7.7% of Federal prisoners had tried inhalants in their lifetimes, 2.6% reported using inhalants regularly , and 0.5% reported using inhalants in the month before committing their offense. Among State prisoners, 14.4% had tried inhalants in their lifetimes, 5.4% reported using inhalants regularly, and 1% reported using inhalants in the month before committing their offense. Although not regulated under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), many State legislatures have attempted to deter youth who buy legal products to get high by placing restrictions on the sale of these products to minors. As reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures, by 2000, 38 States had adopted laws preventing the sale, use, and/or distribution to minors of various products commonly abused as inhalants. Some States have introduced fines, incarceration, or mandatory treatment for the sale, distribution, use, and/or possession of inhalable chemicals. |