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Article Reviews The Prevalence and Effects of Inhalant Abuse Among AdolescentsJournal of Adolescent HealthMarch 9, 2001 Inhalant abuse is prevalent among adolescents, states a review article published in the March issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The authors of the article look at how widely inhalants are used among U.S. adolescents, summarize the types of inhalants used, comment on the major physiologic effects of inhalants, and discuss prevention and medical management of inhalant abuse. The authors report that according to various substance abuse studies the article reviews, 1) inhalant abuse is prevalent among adolescents ages 12 to 17, and many adolescents use inhalants for at least 1 year; 2) some of the most commonly abused substances include glues, paints and lacquers, correction fluid, butane, and gasoline; 3) some identified problems relating to inhalant abuse include cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, hepatic, bone marrow, perinatal, and teratogenic disorders; and 4) inhalant abuse is associated with other risks such as polysubstance abuse and violent behaviors. The authors acknowledge that interventions incorporating all the risk behaviors relating to inhalant abuse may be more effective than those that focus on inhalant abuse alone, and they recommend that health care providers "become more aware of inhalant abuse, its prevalence in the population they serve, commonly used products, and the medical consequences of intoxication and habitual use." The authors also suggest that education is an important part of preventing inhalant abuse among adolescents. To subscribe to the MCH Alert,
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