Solvent abusers

Pryor GT Persisting neurotoxic consequences of solvent abuse a developing animal modelfortoluene-inducedneurotoxicity. NlDAResMonogr 101 136—166,1990 Pudiak CM, Bozarth MA The effect of nitric oxide synthesis inhibition on intravenous cocaine self-administration. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 26 189— 196, 2002... 

Saracibar G, Hernandez ML, Echevarria E, et al Toluene alters mu-opioid receptor expression in the rat brainstem. Ind Health 39 231-234, 2001 Schikler KN, Seitz K, Rice JF, et al Solvent abuse associated cortical atrophy. J Adolesc Health Care 3 37-39, 1982... 

Stewart RD, Fisher TN, Hosko MJ, et al Experimental human exposure to methylene chloride. Arch Environ Health 25 342-348, 1972 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Preliminary Estimates from the 1995 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Rockville, MD, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996 Tenenbein M, PillayN Sensory evoked potentials in inhalant (volatile solvent) abuse. J Paediatr Child Health 29 206-208, 1993... 

Ramsey JD, Flanagan RJ. 1982. Detection and identification of volatile organic compounds in blood by headspace gas chromatography as an aide to the diagnosis of solvent abuse. J Chromatogr 240 423-444. 

Utesch RC, Weir FW, Bruckner JV. 1981. Development of an animal model of solvent abuse for use in evaluation of extreme trichloroethylene inhalation. Toxicology 19 169-182. 

Peripheral neuropathy has also occurred in humans as the result of solvent abuse of products containing -hexane (Altenkirch et al. 1977 Chang et al. 1998 Spencer et al. 1980). Clinical signs were very similar to those seen after occupational exposure however, signs of central nervous system toxicity may also be present due to other components in the inhaled mixtures, e.g., toluene (Spencer et al. 1980). 

Cases of -hexane toxicity in humans have occurred as the result of workplace exposure and solvent abuse (Spencer et al. 1980). Some of these cases of peripheral neuropathy have occurred in teenagers (particularly with solvent abuse) however, none of the clinical reports indicate differences in physical signs or functional tests between this group and adults (Altenkirch et al. 1977 Yamamura et al. 1969). While no reports of -hexane toxicity in young children were located, it is probable that similar toxicity would occur if exposure was comparable to that in affected adults. Specific information is not available on whether children are more susceptible than adults to the effects of -hexane. 

Recreational drugs Alcohol (ethanol), tobacco, cocaine, solvent abuse... 

Bames, G.E. (1979) Solvent abuse a review , International Journal of Addiction, 14 1-26. 

Pritchard, C., Fielding, M., Choudry, N., Cox, M., and Swan, C. (1985) Drug and solvent abuse in the caseload of probation and social services departments a balanced approach , Community Care, 570 25-7. 

Volatile solvents are useful in industry and in homes because of their ability to dissolve fat. When inhaled, however, this property poses problems to the brain and the network of nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, ...thus, because the brain is a lipid-rich organ, chronic solvent abuse dissolves brain cells, the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote in a 1996 policy paper about inhalants. The chemical vapors also damage the myelin sheath, the fatty wrapper that insulates the fibers of many nerve cells that carry signals. 

Solvent abusers can die, sometimes after a single prolonged episode of sniffing, from either physical effects of the chemicals or dangerous behavior related to the user s impaired state of mind. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas, records 100 to 125 deaths from inhalants... 

Re-Solv, a nonprofit group in the United Kingdom that works against solvent abuse, claims that the average home contains about 30 abusable products. 

Solvent abuse—particularly toluene-containing products such as gasoline and glue—is common around the world. NIDA considers it an international public health concern, and notes that the problem is particularly severe in poor nations with high populations of homeless children. Some researchers have attributed the prevalence of glue sniffing in poverty-stricken countries... 

Most damage to the nervous system develops after the abuse has continued two or three times a week for at least six months but any amount of solvent abuse can break down nerve fibers. 

Toluene is a colorless liquid boiling at 101.4°C. Gasoline is 5 to 7% toluene and is the most common source of human exposure to toluene. Toluene is one of the most common solvents inhaled by solvent abusers. It is classified as moderately toxic through inhalation or ingestion and has a low toxicity by dermal exposure. Concentrations in ambient air up to 200 ppm usually do not result... 

The epidemiology of inhalant abuse has been widely studied in the USA (3). There is no overall sex difference in solvent abuse, although girls are more likely to be users in younger age groups and boys in older ones. Inhalant abuse is more common among school dropouts. Native Americans and Hispanic Americans are over-represented and blacks under-represented. 

In the UK 3.5-10% of children under 13 years have abused volatile substances, and 0.5-1% are long-term users (3). In 1980 24 cases of solvent abuse were reported in Singapore, but by 1984 the number had increased to 763 and from 1987-91, 1781 glue sniffers were identified. In 2004, it was reported that street children in India were abusing typewriter eraser fluid, which contains toluene. In low-income families in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 24% of children had inhaled a volatile substance at some time and 4.9% had inhaled within the last month. 

Heart failure with a dilated cardiomyopathy occurred in a 15-year-old boy with a 2-year history of intermittent solvent abuse (8). 

Of 24 solvent abusers (mean age 23 years), who had used substances containing a mean of 425 mg of toluene per day for an average of 6.3 years, 16 had marked impairment in neurological and neuropsychological tests cerebellar symptoms were particularly prominent (21). The impairment correlated significantly with CT scan measurements of the cerebellum, ventricles, and cortical sulci, all of which were abnormal compared with age-matched controls. 

Schikler KN, Lane EE, Seitz K, Collins WM. Solvent abuse associated pulmonary abnormalities. Adv Alcohol Subst Abuse 1984 3(3) 75-81. 

Kaneko T, Koizumi T, Takezaki T, Sato A. Urinary calculi associated with solvent abuse. J Urol 1992 147(5) 1365-6. 

Forms of solvent abuse include sniffing paints, lacquers, glues, and gasoline to achieve a high. These solvents are known to contain variable proportions of many solvents the most common components are toluene, benzene, and xylene. Gasoline also contains methanol and petroleum ether. Case reports of mothers who sniffed... 

This is particularly useful when investigating deaths due to solvent abuse, e.g. toluene or chloroform, because of the high concentrations that these substcmces attain in the brain [Pg.113]

Toxicity. Acetone is one of the solvents abused in glue-sniffing . Severe toxic effects have been associated with blood concentrations of 200 to 300 xg/ml a blood concentration of 550 pg/ml has been reported in a fatality. The maximum permissible atmospheric concentration is 1000 ppm. Exposure to 1600 ppm for about 15 minutes causes irritation to the eyes and nose. Up to 20 ml has been ingested without ill-effect. 

Scopolamine methylnitrate, 675 Scopolia, 674 Scopos, 674 SCOT columns, 182 Screening, for diuretics, 32 for drugs of abuse, 27 for laxatives, 32 for solvent abuse, 31 tests on blood, 6 tests on stomach contents, 5 tests on urine, 4 Scuroforme, 419 S-Diazine, 982 S-Dimidine, 984 SDMO, 991 SE-30, 180 Sea-legs, 724 Sebizon, 981 Secadrex, 309, 663 Secbutobarbital, 967 Secbutobarbitone, 967 Secbutobarbitone sodium, 968 Seclodin, 677 Secobarbital, 951 Secobarbital sodium, 951... 

Solu-Dacortin, 918 Solu-Medrone, 772 Solvent ether, 595 Solvents, abuse of, 43... 

Solvent abuse—luvenUe literature. 2. Solvents—Health aspects—Juvenile literature. [1. Solvent abuse. 2. Substance abuse.] I. Title. II. Series. 

Inhalant abuse is also termed volatile solvent abuse. It should be noted that many drugs besides those classified as inhalants can be administered by inhalation, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl patches, and nicotine. These drugs are not volatile solvents and have different physical and chemical properties therefore, they are not classified as inhalants. Inhalants are chemicals that are volatile, meaning they can readily vaporize from... 

The fact that there are so many different compounds abused as inhalants brings up question of how all of these compounds act on the brain. Do they all act in the same way The answer to this question will be discussed in Chapter 4. It has been argued by some researchers that inhalant abuse should be regrouped as solvent abuse, volatile anesthetic abuse, and nitrite abuse, since the populations that abuse these substances are different." Solvents are primarily abused by teenagers, anesthetics are generally abused by older professionals who have access to them, and nitrites are abused by populations older than teenagers. In the case of nitrites, as will be discussed later, the way the chemical acts upon the body appears to be quite different as well. In this book, the differences between these subgroups of inhalants will be discussed when useful. 

People who abuse inhalants do not fall into a specific group in terms of their gender, race, or ethnicity. In the past, solvent abusers were more often males, but in recent years, the frequency of solvent abuse between genders has equaled out. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (2002) reported the percentage of inhalant users by race/ethnicity in the United States as 4.0% White, 3.8% Hispanic, 2.8% Asian, and 1.6% Black (Figure 7.2). 

Irish teens are tops for sniffing glue Solvent abuse here is the worst in Europe. The Mirror (UK), October 23, 2003. 

Solvent abuse puts teens at risk. BBC News (UK), October 22, 2003. 

Youth solvent abuse soars. Sunday Heraid Sun (Melbourne, Australia), August 17, 2003. 

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