“For the three grades combined, annual use declined significantly in both 2012 and 2013, held steady in 2014 and then declined further in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, 8th graders showed a significant increase, while 10th and 12th graders showed a continued decline.”
Looking at the issue with eighth graders in more detail:-
"Eighth graders, who consistently have the highest prevalence for inhalants, accounted for all of the increase in inhalant use in 2017 (their annual prevalence was up by 0.9 percentage points to 4.7%) and all of the increase in the index including inhalants. Until 2017 inhalant use had been in a steady decline in all grades for roughly a decade or more, so this year’s possible reversal of that trend bears watching."
The report also noted a decline in perceived risk:-
"The decline in perceived risk is worrisome, and it resumed after 2015. In this case, the decline in perceived risk between 2001 and 2008 did not translate into a large surge in use, but it may leave future class cohorts at risk for a resurgence of inhalant use."
Other headlines from around the world this month include:-
UK
Coroner warns about dangers of inhaling gas after death of 16-year-old Co Armagh boy: A Coroner has warned young people about the dangers of inhaling gas after a 16-year-old Co Armagh boy "paid the price with his own life".
Mercedes driver high on gas who mowed down boy, 13, as he waited to cross road walks free: [He] sent a boy flying through the air as he appeared 'not on this planet' behind the wheel in Gateshead.
It’s a really bad idea to take laughing gas while driving: People are taking nitrous oxide balloons while they drive, even though inhaling the substance can make users unconscious.
Police seize laughing gas canisters at Swanley illegal rave: Police raided an illegal rave being held in a warehouse and seized a large amount of canisters of nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas, a court heard.
Calls for action over nitrous oxide 'drug abuse' in Rubery: Police in Rubery are stepping up patrols in a bid to combat people buying and taking nitrous oxide to get high.
Dumped: Hundreds of nitrous oxide capsules found in Newport park: More than 300 empty canisters used to inhale nitrous oxide were found dumped in a park in Newport.
Concerns after potentially lethal nitrous oxide cannisters found in Worcester: Concerns have been raised after potentially lethal ‘laughing gas’ cannisters have been found across the city, including a near a primary school.
Police to patrol Lowndes Park in Chesham in bid to crack down on 'laughing gas' abuse: Officers are set to descend on Lowndes Park, near Park Road, after noticing a rise in silver nitrous oxide canisters – known as laughing gas – littered in the beauty-spot.
Residents' warning after 'laughing gas' canisters found littered around Burnham-on-Sea parks: "If it could do this to our dog imagine what it could do to a person."
Jude Law’s son inhales ‘hippy crack’ at Notting Hill Carnival moments before pal collapses: Jude Law’s son has been pictured attempting to help a female friend who collapsed after the pair used the so-called ‘hippy crack’ at Notting Hill Carnival.
Five men found with 'laughing gas' in this South Derbyshire car park: South Derbyshire's Mercia Safer Neighbourhood Team spotted the men with the illegal substance in a car park in Willington.
IRELAND
Longford defendant with 'aerosol addiction' stole 12 cans of deodorant from Dealz: A woman who appeared before last week’s sitting of Longford District Court charged under the Theft & Fraud Offences Act was convicted and fined €105 following a hearing into the matter.
GREECE
Police in Zakynthos raid warehouse with laughing gas, arrest owner: Police on the island of Zakynthos announced on Friday they had seized 14,760 ampules of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) during a raid in a warehouse in the area of Ammoudi.
USA
'Casdorph the Destroyer' allegedly beat mom bloody with 'heavy duty' spatula (WV): Cops were called to a St. Albans, W. Va., home late on Sept. 13 to find [the] 30-year-old sitting outdoors with silver spray paint covering his mouth and hands while brandishing a metal bar.
Grandfather is stabbed to death with a machete during his granddaughter's first birthday party (MI): A man was fatally stabbed with a machete at least 15 times by an alleged drug user getting high on laughing gas.
Casper man denies child abuse, huffing charges (WY): The man accused of striking an infant after huffing air duster this summer pleaded not guilty to two charges Thursday afternoon in Natrona County Circuit Court.
Vancouver woman was allegedly inhaling fumes during pursuit (WA): Wild chase ends with wrong-way crash in downtown Centralia.
The festival party drug that uses balloons (GA): Go to a rave, concert, festival, club, bar or house show and you might see people with balloons. “What are those for?” you wonder.
Metro Police Looking For Concertgoers Getting High Off Laughing Gas (TN): Metro Park Police said they don't want a problem they've noticed in the last few weeks to balloon out of control: concertgoers getting high off of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas.
'You stomped me,' man tells now-fired Knoxville police officer in dashcam video (TN): A man who was huffing cans of gas duster behind a South Knoxville store claimed a rookie Knoxville Police Department officer repeatedly stomped on his neck after shocking him with a Taser, records show.
Other VSA-associated arrests took place in FL IN and OR. (NB - some US stories are now inaccessible due to new GDPR legislation.)
MALAYSIA
Petrol sniffing addict kills mother, dumps body in septic tank: A petrol sniffing addict is believed to have killed his 63-year-old mother and dumped her in a septic tank.
VIETNAM
Hanoi police detain music fest organizer after drug deaths: Witnesses said security was lax at the festival, that there were not enough security guards and the nitrous oxide balloons were sold publicly at the venue.
FIJI
Glue sniffing still an issue: With the many hard drug cases nowadays, it’s important that we don’t deter our attention from the fact that children are still sniffing glue.
Hanoi police detain music fest organizer after drug deaths: Witnesses said security was lax at the festival, that there were not enough security guards and the nitrous oxide balloons were sold publicly at the venue.
INDIA
Cops to issue notices to shops selling whitener to minors (Aurangabad): The city police have decided to take stringent action against shops to curb rampant sale and misuse of whitener, especially since minors are getting addicted to the liquid solvent.
AUSTRALIA
Sex drug known as ‘poppers’ may soon be placed in the same category as heroin in Australia: An inhalant drug commonly used for sex and short recreational highs could soon be outlawed in Australia.
Bush therapy works for troubled youth: "... we get kids as young as eight-years-old sniffing, they’re already drinking, smelling dope and that’s before they even become a teenager."
