By Mikayla van Loon
Emerging in the days since Esra Haynes’ death has been a renewed call for better education around the use and risks of inhalants.
With the accessibility of aerosols and canned chemicals, chroming, otherwise known as huffing or sniffing, has become somewhat of a trend for young people looking to have a temporary high.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s CEO Dr Erin Lalor described chroming as the breathing in of household, industrial or medical chemicals to feel the effect of being intoxicated or high.
It however, comes with a range of possible risks, including delirium, nausea, headaches, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and death.
“There are many different types of inhalants and each of them have different risks and effects,” Dr Lalor said.
“Using inhalants will impact everyone differently, depending on a range of factors, including the amount consumed, the user’s weight, size, and general health, as well as whether the person is used to consuming it and if they have mixed it with other drugs.”
The continued use of inhalants can have long lasting effects, potentially causing damage to the body’s organs, with dependency also a possibility.
While the regular use of inhalants can cause people to experience depression, memory loss, loss of sense of smell and hearing and chest pain, Dr Lalor said death is usually quite rare but statistics around inhalant fatalities are limited in Australia.
This too extends to data on the use of chroming in Australia, with very limited research available.
“Data on the use of chroming in Australia is limited. The most recent, national data on the reported use of inhalants, is in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey (2019),” Dr Lalor said.
“It shows that reported recent use of inhalants among Australians aged over 14-years-old, has gradually been increasing from 0.4 per cent in 2001 to 1.7 per cent in 2019. This data covers a broad range of inhalants including chroming, nitrous oxide and amyl.”
Youth Drugs and Alcohol Advice (YoDAA) manager Kellie Ferris said the 2017 Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey showed inhalant use was reported at a higher rate among younger people.
The ASSAD report showed that “18 per cent of all students had intentionally sniffed inhalants at least once in their lifetime”.
“Why young people use any substance is varied, one aspect of chroming may be due to accessibility and lower cost. It’s important to talk with each young person to get their experience and reasons,” Ms Ferris said.
YoDAA has identified that some of the most common reasons for drug use include; to stop being bored, to fit in, to just feel good and to feel comfortable in social situations, among the reasons for shutting out feelings of pain, to sleep and be creative.
Dr Lalor said The Alcohol and Drug Foundation would like to see “stronger evidence-based education around the potential risks associated with drug use, including inhalants, and how people can reduce harm.”
For Ms Ferris, ensuring organisations like YoDAA have the funding to deliver education is important to reducing harm, as well as encouraging open and honest conversations around drug use.
“Early intervention with easy access to information and supports for young people, families, carers and community is the best way to prevent harms from drug use,” she said.
“One of the best ways to keep young people safe is open and honest conversations around use and harm reduction…the conversation about general drug use and risk taking to support young people to understand why they might be using or considering using.”
Support can be found by contacting the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s DrugInfo line on 1300 85 85 84 or for YoDAA, call 1800 458 685.
