we Al6 - Sunday, March 25, 1984 - North Shore News ON NORTH SHORE GLUE SNIFFING has been out of the public eye lately, but the problem is far from eliminated — it’s sull here. But the incidence of sniff- ing solvents is not only hard to document, but also dif- ficult to combat from a polic- ing point of view. Constable Rod Booth ot the North Vancouver RCMP, _says.the problem is likely. minimal when compared to other drug use in the com- munity, but adds there is pro- bably a ‘‘dark figure’’ involv- ed. In other words, if in- halant usage is more prevalent than the police department is aware of, it is likely being dealt with in the home or by the schools. If the police are called in to deal with an inhalant inci- dent, their hands are tied as it is not a criminal offence to be found in possession, or caught in the act of inhaling such substances as_ glue, gasoline, paint thinner, cor- recting fluid or, more recent- ly, cookware coating agents. What the police can do in some cases is have the in- dividual arrested under the Mental Health Act and ad- mitted to hospital if they are intoxicated to a degree that they are a danger to themselves or others. There is a territorial or- dinance in the Yukon Ter- fitories which allows. for the application of social services and/or probation as a means of deterrence in cases concer- ning users of inhalants and at feast one member of the North Van RCMP who has worked in the Yukon says the ordinance is the type of thing that B.C. could use. Booth said police in B.C. ““would like to see a law that would approach the ‘whole’ problem”’ of inhalants rather than applying the ‘‘band-aid solutions”’ currently in place. Unaware of risks **1 don’t think they realize what they're doing,’ adds Lions Gate Hospital Social Worker Anna Tingley, refer- ring to the individuals that are admitted as overdoses. The majority of LGH'’s in- halant cases involve juveniles who are unaware of the risks that go along with the use of inhalants. **It’s a minor but persistent problem,’’ Tingley adds. Whien the problem does oc- cur with young adults or juveniles, it is usually ex- perimental in nature, possibly induced by peer pressure and ai sense of curiosity. Inhalants are one type of imtoxicant that are, first, readily available to anyone through various houschold products, and se- cond, available at littl or no cost Margrit Wohlwend, a counsellor with the Alcohol and Drug Program in Van couver, deals regularly with juveniles who have various drug-related problems Some of the children she counsels are as young as 10. and the chemicals they tend to exper ment with are inhalants “We try to look at the broader thing.” says Wohl wend, adding that there os More to counsclling a chal than telling him has behaviour is wrong Rathes then concentrating on the drug prevblem — the By LOUISE TURNER counsellor is able to see the child on a regular basis and hopefully discover the reason behind the drug use. Juveniles are referred to the Program from all sources and occasionally come in and talk on their own. Surveys carried out in Van- couver in 1970, 1974 and 1978 showed that the percen- tage of high school students who had used solvents during that nine-year . period, re- mained at about nine or 10 per cent. Bottles for glue “There are only four people currently known by the North Van police to be chronic inhalant users, and all of them are adults. One of those, who has been a long-time glue sniffer, even used to collect retur- nable bottles and = deliver them to some North Van- couver merchants who paid him off with cases of glue. The long-term effects of the inhalants include fatigue, pallor, inability to think clearly, hostility and paranoia.. Damage to the kidneys and the liver can also develop. At this. time it is not known whether or not the damage incurred by, prolonged usage of inhalants is reversible. The chemical enters the bloodstream from the lungs and then makes its way to other organs, particularly the brain and the liver. There have been cases, though they are rare, where an individual had become un- conscious with the bag con- taining the inhalant. still covering their face. In these The Tree Man Dave China Tree work done properly can improve your home's ap pearance, enhance your life style, and increase the value of your entire property In 25) years in the tree business on the North Shore | have built ao reputation tor uality) tree work among thousands of clents bor tree removal topping, ornamental pruning seasonal main tenance of other spectalized tree work call me for consulta My prices are petitive tam fully Insured and tree estamates are gladly giver DoveChina TREE EXPERTS 922-2200 Volar emotion when yous call leave aovwasap and | ad call you tek an soon as possitile thom COM fl) / fi y ‘ 1 / ‘ 4 re iG Jj ‘th, Ma Y) ty, ; Wee, VA ZZ - - On April 15th, our Sunda anniversary by giving one a . NEWS p AMBULANCE CREWS rushed to the area near Westlynn Mall Wednesday to deal with a 15-year-old who had collapsed. Police originally thought the girl might have been sniffing solvents but later determined her problems were due to heavier drugs. ign the, Go) a —= = ——— oe = Se SS eee =a f instances, death through suf- focation can occur. Death can also occur if the user is startled or engages in par- ticularly strenuous activity while under the influence of the drug. Long-term use of inhalants reduces the user’s tolerance to them and makes it necessary for him to con- tinually increase the amount he is inhaling to achieve the previous effect. A person trying to with- draw from inhalant usage may experience such symp- toms as hallucinations, ab- dominal pains, muscular cramps and. tremors. - Constable Booth maintains that, as with all drug and alcohol abuse issues, a major problem is one of education. The more that peopie become aware of the dangers resulting from inhalant use, through the home, the schools or literature, “the easier the problem will be to tackle. hoto Terry Peters \Y —— on —= <= ubscribe & win News will be 7 years old We want to celebrate our cky couple a weekend of leisure and pleasure at the Park Royal Hotel, one of the North Shore's finest hotel-restaurants. Just say yes when one of our girls calls you for a subscription to the News. Your weekend will start Saturday night at the hotel dining room with a special dinner for two. To cap your evening, a complimentary bottle of champagne will be served in your room On Sunday morning your weekend will be wrapped up with a leisurely Sunday Brunch. Just say yes when we call. The winner will be announced in the April 18th News. ust say yes when one of our girls calls you for a subscription to the News. 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