Rise in petrol, glue sniffing among adolescents found

“His parents brought him to us, desperately seeking a solution. There are many cases like his that we come across nowadays. Addictions to petrol, glue and nail polish are generally seen among adolescents,” said Dr Lakshmi Vijayakumar, Head, Department of Psychiatry, Rajaji Deaddiction Centre, Voluntary Health Services (VHS) Multi Specialty Hospital. 

Stating that one of the main reasons for being addicted to such products is the fact that they are easily accessible, P Nilam, a counsellor said, “Other drugs are usually hard for youngsters to get easy access to. As these children feel stressed by school work and other personal or family problems, or due to peer pressure, they tend to find a solution through such products.” 

What is the effect of the products on the children? When they breathe the fumes in, it moves into the lungs, while the chemicals get into the bloodstream and then reach the brain. These chemicals slow down the messages coming from the brain through the nervous system. The person feels floaty. This is what they want, said another psychiatrist in the city.