Saturday, November 19, 2016

Volatile Solvents Drug Abuse

Volatile solvents.

volatile solvents are a large and diverse group of chemical compounds contained in hundreds of household and industrial products. A solvent is a chemical in a liquid or semi-solid state that dissolves other substances (for example, nail polish remover). “Volatile” refers to the rapid evaporation of chemicals when exposed to air. Volatile solvents often abused by youth include paint thinner, glue, gasoline, paint, correcting fluid and felt-tip markers.

Aerosol and spray cans often contain a liquefied-gas propellant that acts as a solvent to dissolve the contents of the can so that they can be sprayed. Propellants can also be abused.
Products that use propellants include hairspray, spray paint, spray deodorants, cooking sprays and computer cleaner dusters (which contain only a liquefied-gas propellant).

Volatile solvent abuse (VSA)
Volatile solvent abuse (VSA) is the deliberate inhalation of fumes or vapours for their intoxicating and mind-altering effects.
VSA is frequently referred to as inhalant abuse. This can be confusing because the term inhalant can refer to a number of other toxic substances that are not solvents (mainly anaesthetics and nitrates).Terms such as inhalant abuse, solvent abuse and volatile substance misuse are used interchangeably and vary by country.
Hazards of Chemicals Found in Commonly Abused volatile solvents and it’s complications
Benzene(found in gasoline)
Bone marrow injury, impaired immunologic function, increased risk of leukemia, reproductive system toxicity
Butane, propane(found in lighter fluid, hair and paint sprays)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome via cardiac effects, serious burn injuries (because of flammability)
Freon(used as a refrigerant and aerosol propellant)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome, respiratory obstruction and death (from sudden cooling/cold injury to airways), liver damage
Methylene chloride(found in paint thinners and removers, degreasers)
Reduction of oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, changes to the heart muscle and heartbeat
Toluene(found in gasoline, paint thinners and removers, correction fluid)
Brain damage (loss of brain tissue mass, impaired cognition, gait disturbance, loss of coordination, loss of equilibrium, limb spasms, hearing and vision loss), liver and kidney damage
Trichloroethylene(found in spot removers, degreasers)
Sudden sniffing death syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, reproductive complications, hearing and vision damage.

How are volatile solvents abused?
Sniffing: Users inhale solvents directly from a container through the nose and mouth. Less commonly they may heat the solvent to increase the evaporation rate. This is particularly dangerous because most solvents are highly flammable.
Huffing: Users soak material, such as a shirt sleeve or a sock, in a solvent and place it over their nose and mouth or right into their mouth to inhale the fumes.
Bagging: Users inhale a concentration of fumes from a bag that is placed over the mouth and nose or over the head. Fumes can also be inhaled in small, enclosed spaces such as a closet, bathroom or vehicle. There have also been reports of users soaking a mattress or blanket in a solvent and wrapping themselves in it.
Aerosol propellants are typically sprayed right into the mouth or into a balloon or bag and then inhaled. In rare cases, users may drink or inject solvents. Some products such as hairspray can contain alcohol or other intoxicants.
What happens when volatile solvents are inhaled?
 Volatile solvents are quickly absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs and travel to the brain and other organs. The effect is almost immediate and short-lived (the acute effects last only a few minutes).
At first the user will feel excited, typically experiencing euphoria, light-headedness, distorted vision and sense of space, impulsiveness and lack of inhibition. VSA can also produce vivid hallucinations.
Physical symptoms may include ataxia (the inability to coordinate muscle movement), nausea and vomiting, dizziness and flushing.
Once the brief high passes, the chemicals in solvents act much like a depressant as they slow down the body’s central nervous system. The user will start to feel “down”, drowsy and physically ill.
 Experienced users inhale periodically (for example, every 30 minutes) to maintain a high and avoid the unpleasant after effects.

Social and physical health effects of Volatile Solvent Abuse?
The social effects of VSA for youth are similar to those for other substances, including poor academic performance, emotional challenges (for example, mood swings, depression, low self-esteem), and problematic behavior, including delinquency and crime.
 The physical effects of VSA depend on both the product and the individual. This includes the type of product, the amount and how it is used, and on the health of individual users, their expectations, and their use of other substances.

Some of the most hazardous immediate effects of VSA include
Sudden heart failure: Known as “sudden sniffing death”, this is one of the most common causes of death by solvents and occurs when a rush of adrenaline from extra exertion while intoxicated (for example, fright or running) causes the heart to skip out of rhythm and stop beating.
Suicide/risk-taking behavior: Impaired judgment and feelings of invincibility can lead to aggression towards one self and others and to dangerous behavior.
Asphyxiation/suffocation: Asphyxiation most frequently occurs when a plastic bag is used to inhale solvents and blocks the passage of air to the user’s nose and mouth.
Overdose: Mixing solvents with other drugs, especially central nervous system depressants such as alcohol, sleeping pills and tranquillizers, increases the possibility of overdose.
Frostbite and burns: The freezing properties of many solvents can cause minor frostbite to the lips and tongue or even fatal freezing of air passages. Burns also pose a risk because solvent fumes are often flammable.

Immediate physical health effects of VSA abuse occur during use even first-time
Use or instantly after the euphoric state has subsided and intoxication has worn off. They generally pass within a few hours.
ü  Abdominal pains
ü  Amnesia
ü  Depression
ü  Diarrhea
ü  Fatigue/sleepiness
ü  Headache/hangover
ü  Inattentiveness
ü  Irritability
ü  Lack coordination
ü  Loss of appetite
ü  Nausea/vomiting
ü  Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Chronic health effects associated with increased use of volatile solvent
Ø  Bone marrow and blood damage (someSolvents have been linked to leukemia)
Ø  Central nervous system/brain damage
Ø  Chronic nose bleeds
Ø  Damage to the heart and lungs
Ø  Drying of the mucus membrane
Ø  Around the nostrils and mouth,
Ø  Causing the user to sneeze, cough,
Ø  Wheeze or salivate
Ø  Hearing loss
Ø  Liver and kidney damage
Ø  Nerve cells (affecting balance, for example) and muscle damage
Ø  Short-term memory loss
Ø  Sleep problems
Ø  Spasms of the arms and legs
Ø  Throat and ear infection
Ø  Weight loss, weakness and low energy

Effects of volatile solvents children born to mothers who over use solvents
VSA has been associated with multiple drug use and according to the “gateway” theory’ may lead to the use of other drugs such as cocaine, and drug practices such as intravenous drug use.
Prenatal solvent exposure can also pose physical health concerns and may affect the developing fetus.
Clinical studies of children born to mothers who abuse solvents, particularly those such as gasoline that contain toluene, show symptoms resembling fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This has been referred to as fetal solvent syndrome however there is a need for further study.
Studies have also associated reduced birth weight, withdrawal symptoms, delayed development, behavioral abnormalities and central nervous system dysfunction, smaller head size, facial defects and reduced muscle tone with prenatal exposure to solvents.
Chronic abuse of volatile solvents, such as toluene or naphthalene (the volatile ingredient in mothballs), damages the protective sheath around certain nerve fibers in the brain and peripheral nervous system. This extensive destruction of nerve fibers is clinically similar to that seen with neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

What is being done to prevent VSA?
VSA prevention efforts are comparable to those targeting youth alcohol and drug use in general. Specific efforts to prevent VSA have mainly focused on community interventions and education aimed at youth and retailers who sell products containing solvents. These include
Ø  Wide dissemination of information on VSA to healthcare workers, educators, media representatives, retailers, the community, parents, youth and children.
Ø  Peer programs and recreational activities for children and youth.
Ø  Modification or elimination of problematic volatile solvent products or warning labels and controlled sales.
Ø  Early intervention and education.
Ø  Raising awareness of VSA health hazards and related harm at an age appropriate level.

Ø  Choosing safer household products, such as non toxic cleaners. Parents and caregivers of youth serving as healthy role models; having open communication with youth.

No comments: