Teen girls more apt than boys to abuse inhalants

Red eyes, a runny nose and chemical breath are among symptoms of inhaling dangerous but common household substances, says a new study.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. April 2, 2007.

Washington -- With an estimated 1.1 million adolescents snatching a quick high by inhaling such lethal substances as Freon, butane and a host of other household products each year, physicians and parents should familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of this dangerous practice, according to a panel of experts.

Red or runny eyes or nose, spots or sores around the mouth, chemical breath or odor, nausea, anxiety and stains on the body or clothing are red flags, says the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a nonprofit group based in Tennessee. NIPC kicked off the 15th National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week on March 15 with a Washington, D.C., briefing.

The overall rate of inhalant abuse has remained stable at about 4.5% between 2002 and 2005, found a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released at the briefing. But more girls than boys are abusing these products. Almost 5% of girls between the ages of 12 and 17 used inhalants in 2005, up from 4.1% in 2002. For boys, the figure remained constant throughout that period at 4.2%.

The number of first-time users remained relatively stable from 2002 to 2005, according to the report, "Patterns and Trends in Inhalant Use by Adolescent Males and Females: 2002-2005." About 591,000 young people initiated use of inhalants in 2002, compared with 605,000 in 2005.

The findings are based on the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted from 2002 to 2005. The data were obtained from 91,145 children ages 12 to 17.