Inhalant Abuse – a Rising Public Health Problem

These days inhalant abuse is common in both rural and urban settings. Laymen and professionals alike are negligent of this abuse. It is widely seen in children and can sometimes follow into adulthood too. Children try it out initially due to their anxiousness but later on get addicted to it. Parents are more worried about their children being exposed to drugs like cocaine and marijuana. But the fact is that children are more addicted to the inhalants that are commonly found in household things. Even a single episode of inhalant abuse can result in serious health problems. It can seriously impair the vital organs like heart, brain and kidneys. Repeated abuse is seen due to the elated feel that they experience after its use that resembles alcohol consumption. It produces initial excitation, drowsiness, disinhibiting, wooziness and agitation. In order to prolong the period of intoxication, they abuse repeatedly which in severe cases can even lead to death. Other causes of death can be due to suffocation, seizures, and coma or due to choking. Detoxification programs along with proper support and care from the family and friends will help the abusers to bring back the lost colour in their life. A systemic review of various electronic bibliographic by utilizing suitable search terms were used to obtain