Session: Inhalant Use As a Critical, Understudied Substance From Late Childhood to Adulthood: Implications and Opportunities for Prevention Scientists (Society for Prevention Research 21st Annual Meeting)

Inhalants are a unique and serious threat to the health of children, adolescents, and adults. Although lifetime rates of inhalant use peaked in the mid 1990’s at just over 21% among 8^th graders (Johnston et al., 1996), currently, rates of lifetime use are just over 13% among 8^th graders (Johnston et al., 2011). Unlike other substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, inhalant use is most common during late childhood and early adolescence. This may be because many substances used as inhalants can be obtained legally at any age, and are often found in common household substances. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) divides inhalants into four types: aerosols like spray paint and air freshener; nitrites like nitrous oxide; gases like gasoline and lighter fluid; solvents like paint thinner and nail polish remover. Inhalants of any type are used to experience rapid, intense, and fleeting intoxication (Howard et al., 2011).

Short-term and long-term use of inhalants can cause a variety of negative outcomes. Even one use can lead to chemical burns, injury from exposure to neurotoxins, or “sudden sniffing death” from cardiovascular damage (Moreno & Beierle, 2007; Stollery, 1996; Avella et al., 2006). Neurological damage includes ataxias, speech difficulties, peripheral and sensorimotor neuropathy, tremors, and cerebral atrophy (Ridenour, 2005); non-neurological damage includes liver and kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and reduced immune function (Howard & Perron, 2009). Inhalant abuse can also exacerbate pre-existing anxiety, depression, and anti-social tendencies (Howard et al., 2011). Despite these consequences, lack of knowledge about the prevalence and danger posed by inhalant use has resulted in little effort being directed at developing effective prevention and treatment programs, particularly when compared to the wide variety of options for other addictive substances.

This symposium is presents recent work on inhalant use among children, adolescents, and adults in order to bring attention to this critical, understudied substance. The first speaker will discuss the role of traditional risk factors for addiction in inhalant use, particularly among children and adolescents with chronic stress. The second speaker will discuss and evaluate current assessment of inhalant abuse/dependence, as well as anticipated changes to diagnostic criteria. The third speaker will discuss the natural history of inhalant use and transitions from use to abuse and dependence, including risk factors, negative consequences, and psychiatric comorbidities. The discussant is an expert in the causes, correlates, and consequences of psychiatric disorders and behavioral health epidemiology; he will bring the three talks together by highlighting implications and opportunities for prevention scientists.