William Atkins
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 18:48
Science -
Health
Page 2 of 3
The authors of the government study sponsored by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (
SAMHSA), which is within the HHS, suggests that further prevention and treatment programs are necessary to keep the percentages of teenagers from using such very harmful and deadly inhalants.
A government official within the Office of National Drug Control Policy stated,
“…most parents don't realize how dangerous inhalants can be." He states such popularly used inhalants by teenagers are the most deadly substances that are abused by them. [MSNBC: “
Teen inhalant abuse prevention urged”]
The SAMHSA report states,
“Adolescents have easy access to some dangerous substances—ordinary household products such as glue, shoe polish, and aerosol sprays. These products are safe when used as intended, but they can be dangerous and even deadly when sniffed or "huffed" to get high."
"Preventing and treating inhalant use problems, as well as raising awareness about the dangers of inhalant use, are important ongoing goals of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Monitoring trends in inhalant use is vital to assessing policies intended to reduce inhalant use.”
The report also states,
“Although the rates of inhalant use and inhalant initiation appeared to be on a downward trend, particularly since 2005, the rates of dependence on or abuse of these substances remained stable between 2002 and 2007. Rates of use of specific types of inhalants among past year initiates generally did not differ significantly from 2002 to 2007, although a few types showed significant changes."
"Use of nitrous oxide or "whippits" decreased by half, and use of aerosol sprays other than spray paints doubled. Over the period from 2002 to 2007, 15 to 20 percent of past year illicit drug initiates indicated that inhalants were the first illicit drug they had used.”
Page three concludes.
