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Find out the facts about volatile substance abuse prevention from Solve It
 

VSA Facts

 

DID YOU KNOW.

*VSA & DEATH
  • VSA kills at least one young person every week in the UK.
  • In 2004 in 23% of deaths there was no evidence of previous abuse.
  • VSA kills more children and young people aged between 10-16 than all illegal drugs put together.
  • In 2004 butane lighter refills continued to claim the most lives - linked to over half of all VSA deaths.
  • Within a 30-year period over 2000 people have died, as a direct result of VSA – most were under 18.

VSA & HEALTH

  • VSA can damage the lungs, liver, kidneys, brain, heart and central nervous system.
  • VSA is a powerful hallucinogenic and which means that young people can put themselves at risk and this may lead to tragic accidents.
  • A young person can get high in 15-30 seconds which means that they can put themselves into dangerous situations very quickly.

VSA & CRIME

  • The number of young people given Anti-Social Behaviour Orders due to their VSA is increasing.
  • Crimes committed by young people whilst high on these substances include ‑ murders, rapes, assaults, thefts and vandalism.
  • The vast majority of drug users have admitted that VSA was their “Stepping Stone” to illegal drugs.

VSA FACTS

  • The youngest person to die from VSA was a 7 year old – the oldest 80 years old
  • Volatile Substances are easier for young people to access than illegal drugs
  • The average home contains over 50 products that can be abused.
  • There is no such thing as a typical sniffer. Those who abuse these substances can come from any social, cultural and ethnic background.

THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE FACTS - TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT

SOLVE IT 01536 510010

*VSA – Volatile Substance Abuse


 

FIGURES FROM A DEPT OF HEALTH RESEARCH DOCUMENT MARCH 04

 

(10,000 PUPILS – 313 SCHOOLS)

Young people who have been offered individual drugs, by age

Type of drug

11 years

12 years

13 years

14 years

15 years

Total

Cannabis

4%

8%

19%

37%

52%

25%

Ecstasy

1%

2%

5%

10%

17%

7%

Heroin

1%

3%

6%

7%

9%

5%

Cocaine

2%

4%

7%

10%

16%

8%

Amphetamines

1%

2%

4%

10%

16%

7%

Volatile Substances

7%

9%

15%

19%

21%

14%

Young people who have been offered individual drugs, by sex

Type of drug

Boys

Girls

Total

Cannabis

28%

22%

25%

Ecstasy

7%

7%

7%

Heroin

5%

6%

5%

Cocaine

8%

8%

8%

Amphetamines

7%

7%

7%

Volatile Substances

14%

15%

14%

Young people who have taken individual drugs in the last year, by age

Type of drug

11 years

12 years

13 years

14 years

15 years

Total

Cannabis

1%

2%

7%

17%

26%

11%

Ecstasy

0%

0%

1%

2%

3%

1%

Heroin

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Cocaine

0%

1%

1%

1%

3%

1%

Amphetamines

0%

0%

1%

2%

3%

1%

Volatile Substances

4%

5%

6%

7%

6%

6%

 

 
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