The
NSDUH Report:
Inhalant Use Among Youths: 2002 Update
Highlights:
- In
2002, more than 2.6 million youths aged 12 to 17 reported using inhalants
at least once in their lifetime. Among youths, the rate of past year
inhalant use was about the same for boys (4.6%) and girls (4.1%).
- Inhalants
are defined in the survey as "liquids, sprays, and gases that
people sniff or inhale to get high or to make them feel good."
The categories of inhalants asked about in the survey are: (1) amyl
nitrite, "poppers," locker room odorizers, or "rush";
(2) correction fluid, degreaser, or cleaning fluid; (3) gasoline or
lighter fluid; (4) glue, shoe polish, or toluene; (5) halothane, ether,
or other anesthetics; (6) lacquer thinner or other paint solvents;
(7) lighter gases, such as butane or propane; (8) nitrous oxide or
"whippets"; (9) spray paints; and (10) other aerosol sprays.
- The
categories of inhalants most frequently used in the youths' lifetime
were glue, shoe polish or toluene (4.5%), gasoline or lighter fluid
(3.5%), and spray paints (2.5%). Over half (53%) of the youths who
used an inhalant, however, had used more than one type in their lifetime.
- Youths
who had used an inhalant in the past year were about three times more
likely to use marijuana, four times more likely to use prescription
drugs nonmedically, and seven times more likely to use hallucinogens
than those who had not used inhalants in the past year.
Reports
on Inhalants & Other Drugs
Reports
on Youth
Other
Topics
Other
OAS Publications and Services
This Short
Report, The NSDUH Report:
Inhalant Use Among Youths: 2002 Update, is based on SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug
Use and Health conducted by the Office of Applied
Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and
consequences of drug and alcohol use and abuse and for selected mental health measures in the general U.S. civilian non institutionalized population, age 12 and older.
SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health also provides estimates
for drug use and for selected mental health measures by State.
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