An alarming number of seventh-graders admitted in a survey two-years ago to abusing inhalants. According to a new report released by the federal government, kids who are under the age of 13, or have just become a teenager, are more and more going to inhalants as a gateway drug, to lead to more dangerous drugs down the road.
The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition is where the results were released.
Many 12 and 13-year-old kids were found to use inhalants, such as household cleaning items and such to get high.
Kids between the ages of 12 to 17 saw an annual average of around 590,000 each year using inhalants for the first time.
21% of them stated that they used other, more dangerous drugs.
Glue and paint were also noted as being popular objects used by these preteens.
H. Westlet Clark, MD stated in a news statement that “Inhalants are everywhere in the house and garage, and parents often do not realize that the glue and paint are not being used for crafts or science projects.”
Children are using less of the inhalants as they get older, but instead of stopping drug use they are moving forward to more dangerous drugs.
Clark stated that these inhalants can do serious health damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and more.
The most used inhalants were glue, toluene, and shoe polish.