Volatile Substance Abuse
BAMA has two resources, updated in 2007, aimed at educating adults about VSA. Hard copies are available free of charge on request, please email email@example.com indicating how many of each resource you require. Alternatively download pdf versions below.
What is VSA?
Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA) is the practice of inhaling common household volatile substances like glues, gases and aerosols in order to get high. It was commonly called glue sniffing in the 70s when it first emerged as an issue in the UK and remains a serious social problem, mostly among young people.
In any home there are around 50 products, all with a legitimate purpose, which can be abused in this way.
However, VSA, unlike most drug abuse, can kill instantly, often the very first time someone tries it. At its height in the early 90s three young people were dying each week. For more background information take a look at the Re-Solv web site, at http://www.re-solv.org/.
The Department of Health, together with DFES (now DCSF) and the Home Office set up a stakeholder group in 2005 as part of its strategy 'Out of sight - Not out of mind '(which can be accessed on the DH web site at http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/56/05/04115605.pdf.) The strategy aims to tackle this complex social problem in a coordinated way, raising awareness and preventing deaths. BAMA sits on the stakeholder group and on the relevant working groups.
What do BAMA and its members do to help prevent VSA?
BAMA has been concerned about VSA since the 1970s and has been actively involved in many initiatives to educate professionals, retailers, young people and consumers in general about the hazards. For many years, Government and BAMA's policy on warning labels was not to apply them as it might attract the attention of potential abusers to abusable products. Over the years, evidence showed that this is unlikely to be the case and BAMA voluntarily adopted the warning 'Use only as directed. Intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal'. Most other abusable products remained unlabelled.
In the mid 90s, a major research project was undertaken by the Department of Trade and Industry Consumer Safety Unit with the VSA Industry Forum, chaired by BAMA. The research showed a strong response from consumers that a new clear warning was required.
After careful consideration of the issues around labelling, BAMA recommends that all aerosols should be labelled on the back with the warning about the dangers of volatile solvent abuse. Because there is no information on a fatal dose or the effect of mixing products this should be regarded as a general warning about the risks of solvent abuse. It should be on all aerosol packs and not just those considered to be potentially abusable.
The phrase Solvent Abuse Can Kill Instantly ('SACKI') in the badge format shown here should be applied to the back of all aerosols, the artwork for this logo can be requested from the Guides & Publications section of this website.
If you would like more information or support, you can contact any of the following organisations:
- Drugscope: 020 7928 1211, http://www.drugscope.org.uk/ - provides information on all aspects of drug problems
- Childline: 0800 1111 - the free 24-hour national helpline for children in trouble or danger
- Re-Solv: a national charity dedicated to the prevention of VSA and provides advice and educational materials. Telephone: 01785 817885, http://www.re-solv.org/
- Solve-It: provides support to young people, parents, guardians, carers and all those affected by volatile substance abuse, 24hr helpline: 01536 510010, http://www.solveitonline.co.uk/
Data on deaths from VSA: http://www.vsareport.org/