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SOLVENTS
(Glue,
Gas & Aerosols)
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Not covered under the Misuse of Drug Act |
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What are solvents? These
are a number of chemical compounds that are used in various household
and industrial items that many of us will have in our homes. These
give off vapours or gasses that can be inhaled.
These
can include:
Nail
Varnish and Nail Varnish Remover
Glue
Correction Fluid
Paint
Cigarette Lighter Gas (Butane)
Petrol
Aerosols (Deodorant, Cleaning Products etc)
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What
do people do with them? The products give off a vapour
or gas, which is inhaled through the mouth or nose to get a high.
Plastic bags are generally used to sniff glue, called ‘huffing’
(See picture on left). Aerosols are generally sprayed onto
a cloth before inhaling. Some young people may soak their sleeve to
sniff wherever they are.
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What
does it do? The effects can be similar to that of feeling
drunk from alcohol although the effect only tends to last 30-45 minutes.
It can cause: Headache, Dizziness, Sore throat, feelings of unreality. Regular
users may appear pale, tired, forgetful and lack concentration.
Why would people use it? Generally,
users of solvents are aged 12 to 15. Solvents are easy to obtain in the
house or buy in shops, effects are swift and relatively cheap and not illegal.
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People
use drugs, not just solvents, for many reasons and those reasons are
often complex. Why a child (or adult) would sniff solvents is complex
too. It may be experimentation, it may be something to do with joining
in with friends both of which the majority grow out of; or it may
be an escape from issues or feelings that they find difficult to cope
with. |
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Is
it Dangerous?
YES. Approximately 100 young people die each year
after using solvents and it is important that young people are made
aware of the dangers. Spraying aerosols directly into the mouth can
be fatal. There is a danger of freezing the throat and suffocating.
The use of plastic bags for huffing can also lead to suffocation.
 Alert in July 2006. A craze on
its way from the USA and central Europe is called 'Dusting'. This is
the abuse of compressed air cleaning products usually used for cleaning
computer keyboards. Dust off products can contain fluorinated
hydrocarbon that can paralyse the body and kill instantly. To date
there has been a record of 150 deaths. It is important that young
people are aware of the dangers from such products as some mistakenly
believe they do not contain any chemicals or solvents.
Solvents
can cause unconsciousness, which can be a choking hazard. They also
cause disorientation, which is particularly dangerous as it is more
likely to lead to accidents near traffic, rivers, etc... |
Lighting cigarettes or matches after sniffing is especially dangerous
in enclosed spaces. There is a risk of fire, burns and explosions
from igniting gases and vapours that have built up.
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Sniffing
Alone is dangerous. If something goes wrong there’s no one
there to help.
See Parents Page for further information
of drugs and your children.
Recommended Reading about Solvents
Click
here for other suggestions
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