Summer holidays are the peak time of year for tragedies caused by abuse of glue, petrol, aerosols and other inhalants, the Mid-Western Health Board warned yesterday.
The board's Slainte Health Advice Centre Drug and Alcohol Service said often very young people were involved due to the low cost and wide availability of these products. The immediate effects of inhalant abuse were similar to being drunk, but lasted only a few minutes, and sickness and dizziness often followed.
The board's drug education officer, Ms Anna O'Neill, said although there was a general perception that inhalants were not as harmful as other harder drugs, they had probably been the cause of more deaths among young drug-users in the State with the exception of heroin. One of the most dangerous practices was spraying aerosols directly into the throat, as the throat could freeze or swell, making breathing impossible. Other hazards included sniffing alone, sniffing in dangerous places such as railway embankments and the use of plastic bags around the head.
Ms O'Neill said: "While it is true that the majority of young people never abuse inhalants or any other drug, it is still good for parents to be aware in their own homes about the safety and storage of substances which can be misused. Parents can only discuss with their offspring the potential dangers of inhalant abuse while encouraging a respect for the intended use of these products".