The percentage of pupils who reported having used volatile substances in the past year rose in 2016 to 4.4% from 2.9% in 2014. This rise was concerning and the 2018 figures show only a small reduction to 4.2% (4% among boys and 4.4% among girls). 9% of pupils report that they have ever used glue, gas, aerosols or solvents.
Glue, gas, aerosols or solvents continue to be the most commonly used substances among children under the age of 14 and pupils’ early experience of drug use was most likely to involve cannabis (42%) or volatile substances (40%). "Pupils who tried drugs at an earlier age were more likely to report using volatile substances at that age, whilst pupils who first took drugs at an older age were more likely to report taking cannabis."
"Pupils taking cannabis, volatile substances or Class A drugs all most commonly gave the reason ‘to see what it was like’. The reason ‘to get high or feel good’ was also commonly given by pupils who took cannabis and Class A drugs, but not commonly for those who used volatile substances."
Read the full report here.
Other headlines from the UK and around the world include:-
This Is What Your Laughing Gas Habit Is Doing To The Environment: Birds are getting sick from swallowing balloons and beaches are littered with canisters.
UK
Mum died after self-medicating with 100 canisters of laughing gas: A housebound woman who used laughing gas to help her cope with chronic pain died after inhaling too much, an inquest heard.
Man suffered brain injury from sniffing glue, court told: A Belfast man arrested while high on drugs in the city centre had suffered a brain injury from sniffing glue as a teenager, a court has heard.
Caerphilly shop prosecuted for selling “laughing gas” nitrous oxide: A Caerphilly shop and its owner have been prosecuted for selling the illegal psychoactive substance nitrous oxide – otherwise known as “laughing gas”.
Brighton Pride clean up highlights continued use of nitrous oxide: More than 150 bags of rubbish containing nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas” as it is widely known, canisters and balloons have been picked up off Brighton Beach following a major Pride event at the weekend.
Petition launched over Laughing Gas abuse: Local councillors have launched a petition over the growing abuse of Laughing Gas.
Police appeal for information after child hit with nitrous oxide canister: Police forces in Merseyside and Hampshire are looking for this man in connection with an incident at the Southampton v Liverpool football fixture at St Mary’s on Saturday 17 August.
Brit's £1k Thomas Cook holiday 'ruined by half naked teens taking hippy crack': Thomas Cook customer claims young guests at the hotel in Zante, Greece left nitrous oxide cannisters on the floor and partied into the night.
Border Force ordered to return 270,000 seized laughing gas capsules: The Border Force has been told to return 270,000 nitrous oxide capsules it seized at Southampton docks more than a year ago.
Young people in Grimsby 'dicing with death' by mixing laughing gas with amphetamine: A call has been made for nitrous oxide canisters to be licenced and police have warned of using the substance dangerously.
'I know someone who used them... he was left with scarring on the lungs' - Mum's shock at finding 'hippy crack' canisters on Stoke-on-Trent street: Police say they are trying to educate youngsters over the risks of the drug.
The dangers of nitrous oxide: An inside look at Surrey's laughing gas problem: “It is more dangerous than you think - put it down and step away."
Why 'laughing gas' has become so popular and how it made its way to Scunthorpe: We speak to a 'Nos Boss' who supplies Nitrous Oxide canisters to people in and around North Lincolnshire.
Deadly laughing gas craze littering Cardiff suburb sparks calls for tougher action: Scores of empty cannisters have been spotted across Grangetown.
Patient's concern at 'disgusting' laughing gas canisters outside Bolton GP surgery: Concerns have been raised after the car park outside of a GP surgery was littered with nitrous oxide canisters.
Over 100 discarded laughing gas canisters and 'hippie crack' balloons found in High Wycombe street: More than 100 empty nitrous oxide canisters have been collected by a frustrated High Wycombe resident from the street she lives on in just three weeks.
Hundreds of laughing gas canisters found in Tamworth parks: Hundreds of nitrous oxide canisters have been found strewn across Tamworth parks.
Why police are warning about 'laughing gas' use after finding canisters: A Humberside Police warning has been issued over nitrous oxide.
Wellingborough park safety concern for users: The park next to Redwell Leisure Centre has become a focal point for youths, some of whom have been drinking and others misusing Nitrous Oxide cannisters.
Outrage after boxes of nitrous oxide canisters dumped at Botany Bay: The canisters were thrown from a car late at night.
Rise in "laughing gas" canisters found in Thornton sparks safety warning: Wyre Council said they were being found increasingly frequently, as several empty containers were spotted by a member of the public in Thornton.
Love Highland: Love Island’s Tommy Fury filmed writhing on the floor after inhaling killer drug ‘hippy crack’ from balloon.
IRELAND
Cork man ran 40 marathons in memory of his brother: He completed that feat at the weekend, by running around the Lough 32 times, a place where he and his late brother used to hang out as young teens. Billie died aged 15 from solvent abuse.
BELGIUM
‘A real plague’: popularity of laughing gas sparks concerns in Flanders: The rising popularity of laughing gas as a recreational drug among Flemish youth has seen parks and sidewalks in the region littered with the small canisters, in what the head of one recreational area called “a real plague.”
GREECE
Two arrested in Zakynthos over laughing gas, spiked drinks: Two people were arrested on the Ionian island of Zakynthos on Monday in connection with balloons containing nitrous oxide ... and adultarated drinks.
FINLAND
Police seize 10,000 laughing gas canisters in Helsinki: Police suspect the cartridges found during the search of a home in Punavuori were intended to be sold as intoxicants.
USA
Man believed to have died from huffing on Fred Meyer premises (WA): A Yakima man is believed to have died from huffing on the Fred Meyer premises, according to the coroner’s office.
Driver who hit man on bus bench and fled, had 104 used ‘whippets’ in his car, cops say (FL): A man who is on probation for cocaine possession had 104 used “whippet” (nitrous oxide) cartridges in his car.
MHPD says huffing may have caused fatal crash (AR): The Mountain Home Police Department has released information on a fatality accident that took place over the weekend.
Police: woman found slumped over in car with baby inside (IN): A 28-year-old woman is facing a neglect charge after police say she huffed an air duster can with her baby inside the car.
Cincinnati man arrested for driving impaired after 'huffing paint' (IN): Indiana State Police arrested a Cincinnati man for allegedly driving impaired on a Northwest Indiana interstate after "huffing paint."
‘Huffer’ jailed after refusing police commands to stop sniffing from can: A 54-year-old Warsaw man who has repeatedly been charged with “huffing” chemicals was jailed without bail after he was caught doing it again and then refusing police commands to stop.
Man sentenced to probation for crashing while driving after huffing (MT): [He] was sentenced to three years probation after he pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to crashing a vehicle after huffing Dust-Off.
Woman facing 5th DWI found unresponsive with keyboard cleaner in lap (LA): A Calhoun woman is facing multiple charges, including a fifth OWI offense, after she was reportedly found unresponsive in a car with keyboard cleaner on her lap.
What to know about nitrous oxide: Medical News Today.
CANADA
Cliff Cardinal’s special for SummerWorks Performance Festival goes to dark places: Cardinal, who earned a Dora Mavor Moore Award for his unflinching, darkly comic Huff, about youth suicide and solvent abuse, spoke to The Globe and Mail about his new show and his sneaky CBC aspirations.
'He's taught me so much': Winnipeggers raise funds for homeless artist's funeral: [He] struggled with solvent abuse but he had been sober for the last 20 years.
INDIA
‘Adolescents using inhaling liquids on rise’: There has been a steady rise in adolescents in school final falling prey to inhaling liquids that gave them a “high” said V. Ramanujam, psychiatrist, at the Velammal Medical College and Hospital.
PHILIPPINES
Under the bridge: Police rescue five minors, arrest 13 others in joint operation in Barangay Banilad: Police arrested two peddlers of rugby during the operation.
NEW ZEALAND
Police warning after man seen huffing petrol in Auckland laundromat dryer: Police have issued a safety warning to the public after a man was seen huffing petrol from inside a dryer at a Manurewa laundromat last Sunday.
