UK
On 28th January, PHE published their annual Substance misuse treatment in secure settings report for 2019 to 2020. There were 102 adults in treatment for solvents (up from 85 in 2018-19 and 65 in 2017-18) and 44 young people (up from 30 in 2018-19 and 34 in 2017-18). The median age of young people in treatment for solvents within secure settings remained constant at 16.
"Use of solvents has increased to 4%, the highest level since these statistics were first reported in 2015 to 2016 (1%). The proportion of young people in treatment reporting other drugs has decreased to 4% from 5% in the previous year."
Other headlines included:
Man completely banned from Southend-on-Sea High Street for 3 years: Essex Police's PC Nicholas Baldwin said: "[He] has repeatedly been found in public places in Southend sniffing cans of butane gas, which has a detrimental impact on himself and the local community."
Shop owner claimed he had thousands of laughing gas canisters to sell to 'Polish bakers': The owner of the shop in Brieghtmet, Bolton had his licence revoked.
Four Shisha bars in Newham choose laughing gas over lockdown: Newham police fined four Shisha bars thousands of pounds for violating lockdown laws last night. The force say they also seized 13,000 canisters used to distribute nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.
Reports of other raves and parties involving nitrous, littering, and concerns about use came from Cambridge, County Durham, Lancashire, Liverpool, Nottingham, Plymouth and York.
NI
West Belfast man jailed for two years for stealing £40K from elderly friend: [His] defence lawyer outlined continued problems with alcohol and solvent abuse which had impacted on his mental well being.
SCOTLAND
Canisters containing nitrous oxide found in Inchinnan: Police have warned about the dangers of nitrous oxide after several canisters have been found in Renfrewshire.
IRELAND
Nitrous oxide ‘silver bullets’ everywhere: The father of Alex Ryan Morrissey has again warned people of the dangers of nitrous oxide canister misuse, detailing the devastation that his family has endured since his death last year.
SPAIN
‘Laughing Gas’ gang busted on Costa Del Sol: The National Police has dismantled an international criminal gang who were importing and then distributing nitrous oxide, better known as ‘laughing gas’, for use in private parties and discos in Spain, with four males aged between 17 and 28 years of age being arrested.
USA
Nitrous Nation: Hippie crack. Whippets. Laughing gas. A casual party drug endures.
'Multiple alcoholic beverage containers' and laughing gas canisters littered scene of triple fatal New Year's Eve crash (CA): Although there are no criminal charges related to the nitrous oxide found at the scene and in Teasdale's possession, recreational use of the gas canisters that some refer to as "whippets" or "hippie crack" is illegal in California.
Man ‘huffing air’ while driving hits teen in Idaho Falls, say police (ID): Police say an Idaho Falls man allegedly huffing air canisters ran over a teenager, sending him to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
Kan. man sniffing aerosol can jailed after fight with officers (KS): Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after altercation with police during an arrest.
Man resists arrest for DUI of inhalants (AR): The Arkansas City Police Department arrested an Ark City man Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly resisted arrest while under the influence.
Woman cited for unlawful possession of inhalants (OR): A Sutherlin woman was cited for unlawful possession of inhalants on Monday.
Dothan drug prevention non-profit raises awareness for “whippets” (AL): The 334 Prevention Project is known for its drug- and alcohol-use prevention programs and for educating school students on the dangers.
AUSTRALIA
Cops warn of petrol, aerosol sniffing resurgence in remote NT: Territory police say there has been a spike in the number of youths petrol and aerosol sniffing in parts of East Arnhem.
Gold Coast teenager rushed to hospital after suffering reaction to chroming: A teenager has been rushed to hospital after experiencing a bad reaction to chroming at the Broadwater Parklands on the Gold Coast.
Drivers affected by chroming sparks Brisbane City Council plea: There have been 23 reports of so-called “volatile substance abuse.
E-dealers sell legal 'nangs' laughing gas canisters on Gold Coast while police powerless to act: E-dealers are cashing in on a burgeoning nitrous-oxide canister grey market with “nangs” delivered to the door within an hour.
'Like the plague': Woman's 'disturbing' find in park: ... while there is a concerted effort to ensure the health risks associated with inhaling nitrous oxide are relayed to Australian teens, there is little consideration of the environmental impact the canisters are having, which are often left behind in public places by those inhaling the gas. It is believed up to 15 tonnes of canisters, which are made of zinc-coated steel, end up in landfill in Australia every year.
NEW ZEALAND
Nitrous oxide soars as Christchurch suppliers offer same-day delivery services: An “impossible to enforce” law is allowing recreational laughing gas use to soar in Christchurch, and students say it is thanks to same-day delivery services posing as catering supply companies.
NAMIBIA
Homeless sniff glue to forget hunger: Some of the homeless children in Windhoek say they have turned to sniffing glue with the hope of forgetting their problems, including hunger.
INDIA
Child rights body and NCB team up to combat drug abuse among children: JAP notes that school-going children who use substances are mostly using legal but harmful substances in the form of tobacco and/or alcohol. However, the out-of-school children, especially those on the streets or slums and vulnerable populations, are at risk of experimenting with more hazardous substances, both "licit as well as illicit" in nature.
Check CCTVs around schools to check drug abuse by kids: NCPCR, NCB to police:
"According to a study conducted by the NCPCR with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, the common drugs used by children and adolescents were tobacco and alcohol, followed by inhalants and cannabis.
"The mean age of onset was the lowest for tobacco (12.3 years), followed by the onset of inhalants (12.4 years), cannabis (13.4 years), alcohol (13.6 years), proceeding to the use of harder substances (14.3–14.9 years), such as opium, pharmaceutical opioids and heroin, and substances through injecting route (15.1 years).
"A study conducted by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights on substance abuse by children on the other hand found that all children in conflict with the law were drug abusers.
"It was also seen that 95.5% of children in the child care institutions consumed drugs, and so did 93 % of the street children.
"Another study by the ASSOCHAM Ladies League on “Situational Analysis of Street Children in Metro Cities”, covering 2,000 children, revealed that children in metros were victims of one or other substance use, including inhalants (35%), alcohol (12%), cannabis (16%), chewing tobacco and gutkha (16%) and smoking (21 %), said the report.
"The five states in India with the highest number of children that need help for inhalant use problems are: Uttar Pradesh, 94,000; Madhya Pradesh, 50,000; Maharashtra,40,000; Delhi,38,000; and Haryana, 35,000; all other states together account for 2,01,000 inhalant users among children."
