Volatile substance abuse

Although not as notorious as alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, VSA remains a common problem in the industrialized world. Some investigators believe that VSA has quietly reached near-epidemic proportions as no consistent system exists for gathering data on the extent of inhalant-related toxicity in most countries. Doctors and emergency medical personnel are often not well-trained to recognize VSA. Greater attention needs to be drawn to the societal problems and potential physiological dangers of VSA. Information on VSA should be more widely disseminated to healthcare workers and educators. The best treatment for VSA may be prevention through extensive education, as the availability of many volatile compounds makes them attractive for abuse by adolescents who would otherwise have to acquire ethanol or illegal street drugs.