12 year olds in USA more likely to sniff glue than smoke weed
More 12-year-olds in the U.S. get high by sniffing inhalants than by using marijuana, cocaine or hallucinogens combined, according to a US Government report published this week.
Data from the latest ‘National Survey on Drug Use and Health’ shows a rate of lifetime inhalant use among 12 year olds of 6.9 percent, compared to a rate of 5.1 percent for non medical use of prescription type drugs; a rate of 1.4 percent for marijuana; a rate of 0.7 percent for use of hallucinogens; and a 0.1 rate for cocaine use.
While the ‘War on Drugs’ targets marijuana, a relatively harmless herb, making it too expensive for teenagers, it seems the true danger is lying in household cupboards.
Not being able to get good weed at a fair price means youngsters are turning to cheap ‘DIY High’ products such as refrigerant from air conditioning units, aerosol computer cleaners, shoe polish, glue, air fresheners, hair sprays, nail polish, paint solvents, degreasers, gasoline or lighter fluids.
The Government report warns that the use of inhalants can cause “Sudden Sniffing Death” – immediate death due to cardiac arrest – or lead to addiction and other health risks and permanent damage.
The pragmatic truth is that these kids would be far better off on weed, which if it was legal would be cheap enough so that they could smoke it pure without the addition of tobacco, a highly addictive and dangerous legal drug.
If these teenagers smoked weed instead of sniffing glue and getting hooked on tobacco, they would also be less likely to abuse alcohol which is an especially dangerous drug for young people as it can permanently damage the development of the liver, the only organ which continues to grow until the age of 35.
Logically the best harm reduction health advice for those wanting to get high should therefore be; “Do not drink till you are 35, forget glue, smoke pure weed instead.”
• In Brazil it is fairly common place to see impoverished street kids waiting at traffic lights for the cars to stop so they can sniff the fumes from the exhausts to get high. Perhaps someone should start a charity called WeedAid for these poor souls.