Teen inhalant use reaches new high (US)

(CWK Network) The number of kids getting high off common household products, such as keyboard cleaner and liquid paper, has been slowly rising for years. But studies show it's reached a new high. According to the 'Partnership for a Drug-Free America', one in five teenagers now say they have used inhalants.Experts say most kids still aren't getting the message- inhalants are dangerous and deadly. 17-year-old Christie said she's tried it all: "Everything from like spray-paint, glue, everything.""You can buy cream chargers, that's what they call it," said 20-year-old Heather Hutchins, "the nitrous oxide, those are a lot of fun."Experts say the number of teens using inhalants is going up. What's going down is the message that "huffing" is deadly."Inhalant perceived risk numbers are going down," explains clinical psychologist Marietta Collins, "They don't think it's as dangerous as it was in the past, because they're not getting the message that inhalants can kill.""I don't think there's anything wrong with inhaling, anything unless your body starts to deteriorate, you know," said 19-year-old Brandi McDearis."Kids just feel that they're invulnerable -- that this won't happen to me, that I can try this one time and see what it's like," warns Collins. "And sometimes, unfortunately with drugs, one time is too many."That was the case for 17-year-old Ashley Carter. She died after inhaling computer cleaner."She'd gone into cardiac arrest and passed out and never woke-up," said her best-friend Jessica.Experts say parents need to make it clear- inhalants can kill."Inhalant use, any drug use, is not tolerated, is not good, is harmful for you," instructs Collins on what to say to your kids. "Parents should start giving these messages as early as elementary school - because again, these are the products that are in the home."She says that while it's difficult to recognize, some of the signs of inhalant abuse include "a chemical odor … from your child's breath, on your child's clothing, paint stains … on clothing, hands, [and] on your child's face."But most importantly, if you spot signs of inhalant abuse, put a stop to it- immediately."It doesn't take doing something a hundred times for it to mess you up," Jessica said, "like, it could be the first time you ever do it."
(CWK Network)

North East England

Re-Solv are very pleased to announce that we have secured significant funding for a 3 year project. The Northern Rock Foundation has awarded the money for the North East of England which has one of the UK's highest desities of volatile substance abuse (VSA). Our work will be to set up of an office along with personnel dedicated to working with vulnerable young people and children in the area advising on the dangers of VSA.

Hope for Australian petrol sniffing problem

Petrol sniffing inquiry offers hope
The Federal Opposition says a political consensus on dealing with petrol sniffing will give Australia its best chance in decades of combating the problem in remote Indigenous communities.
A Senate inquiry into petrol sniffing handed down its recommendations yesterday, stressing the need to hasten the roll-out and production of non-sniffable Opal fuel.
The inquiry also recommended secure long-term funding models for youth and mental health programs, as well as a police presence in all Indigenous communities.
The Labor Senator for the Northern Territory, Trish Crossin, says she is optimistic.
"There's been over 20 years of reports into the petrol sniffing crisis in this country and this time Government members, along with the Democrats and the Greens and the Labor Party, have unanimously urged all governments to actually get together to start addressing this," she said.
"We would hope this would be the last report."
Health, community groups
Aboriginal health and community groups have also welcomed the report.
The chairman of the South Australian Aboriginal Health Council, John Singer, says it is the 13th such report and action is overdue.
"I think now it's time to start putting those dollars into programs and start to actually deliver some of these services," he said.
Mr Singer says communities have been disappointed by brief knee-jerk reactions from governments in the past and are hoping for a sustained, coordinated approach this time.
The Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service (CAYLUS) says it is also heartened by the report's recommendations.
CAYLUS spokesman Tristan Ray says the roll-out of Opal fuel is particularly important.
"The Government have got some wickets on the board in terms of Opal," he said.
"Opal fuel has worked really well in a number of communities and is a powerful tool to stop sniffing, particularly if it's accompanied by basic youth programs which are what we don't have in many communities at the moment."
Practical solutions
Western Australia Indigenous Affairs Minister Sheila McHale says an arrangement with South Australia and the Northern Territory has helped target petrol traffickers.
The deal has also helped tackle the mental health impact of sniffing.
Ms McHale says more practical solutions should be discussed at next week's federal summit on abuse in Indigenous communities.
"We need practical support - we don't need another talkfest," she said.
"We have the summit on Monday and I hope that [Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister] Mal Brough will able to come to that summit with some practical support for states and territories - we can't go it alone."
Ms McHale says the Government is about to sign a bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth, which includes a commitment to increase the roll-out of Opal fuels.
She says the WA Government is also working on other initiatives."Western Australia will continue to focus on the traffickers of petrol and the mental health devastation that can be caused by young kids sniffing petrol and having brain injury," she said.

Australian solvent abuse gang

Esperance police in south-east Western Australia are concerned about a gang of Aboriginal youths who have been seen around the CBD under the influence of inhalants.
Police say they have discovered the group behaving aggressively and irrationally after sniffing paint.
Crime prevention officer Murray Pownall says investigations revealed that many of the group have come from Kalgoorlie.
Senior Constable Pownall says local businesses must be vigilant and refuse the sale of solvents to suspicious buyers.
He also asks for members of the community to report people they think have been sniffing paint who may look drunk and have paint around their mouths.
"Yes, they're only youngsters, around about 13, 14 and 15 years, males and females and, yes, it does cause concern," he said.
The Esperance Aboriginal Health Service says the substance abuse must be wiped out in the town as soon as possible.
Executive officer Lyn Kersley says sniffing solvents can have a devastating effect on communities as users become mentally unstable.