A new report released by the federal government shows preteens and young teenagers favor using inhalants – and often move on to more harmful drugs, it is being reported by CBS News.
Drug users as young as 12- and 13-years-old are sniffing household chemicals to become high, according to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.
Then, they move on to drugs such as marijuana or painkillers, it was reported.
“Inhalants are everywhere in the house and garage, and parents often do not realize that glue and paint are not being used for crafts or science projects,” said Dr. H. Westley Clark, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Statistics director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in a news release.
In the news release, Clark said the inhalants can damage the brain, liver, heart, or kidneys – and can even have fatal consequences.
The report is based on a national survey, which looked at individuals aged 12 and 17 between 2002 and 2006.
The data showed an annual average of 593,000 teenagers had used inhalants for the first time in the year before the survey.
Of those surveyed, 21 percent said they used an illicit drug in the past year.
The 12- and 13-year-olds said inhalants were the most “illicit” drug used in the past year, while marijuana was favored among older teenagers, it was reported.
Shoe polish, glue and toluene were the most popular inhalants, according to the survey.
Click here to read the full story from CBS News.
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