Want to find out about children's drug use? Look in the cleaning cupboard

When parents worry about their children's drug use they often think about cocaine, cannabis or ecstasy. However, new figures from the U.S. Government suggest that they should be looking closer to home. The Department of Health and Human Services found that more 12-year-olds have used an inhalant to get high than had used marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined. 7% of 12-year-olds have used an inhalant to get high, compared to about 5% who had abused prescription drugs, 1.4% who had used marijuana and less than 1% who had used cocaine or hallucinogens. Common household products like petrol (gasoline), nail polish, bleach, paint solvents and cleaning spray can all be inhaled to get high and although the number of children abusing inhalants is not going up there is concern that children now see it as less risky which might lead to an increased rate in the future.

You can find out more about the problems of inhalant use at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62A4R320100311?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true