FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, 14 June 2013

Help our kids avoid deadly solvent abuse

Upper Hutt retailers are being encouraged to think about why young people are buying volatile products that could be used for solvent abuse.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 14 JUN 2013—Local retailers are being encouraged to recognise signs in their younger customers that could point to potential solvent abuse.

Murray Trenberth, Chief Executive of the Youth Alcohol and Drug Service, WellTrust says experimenting with solvents and inhalants is far more deadly than most young people realise. “Although it’s not widespread, solvent abuse can be fatal. Five or six people a year die from solvent abuse. It’s especially tragic when you hear of children as young as ten experimenting with solvents.”

“There are two aspects that set solvent abuse apart from alcohol and other drugs,” says Mr Trenberth. “Firstly, too many young people still don’t appreciate the extreme risk they take experimenting with solvents, even just once or twice. The ‘high’ can be short lived so they’re tempted to try again, but some chemicals are absorbed by the brain and the nervous system. The simple fact is that people die from sniffing solvents. It’s not a matter of an accumulated effect, some people do die the first time. It’s deadly.”

“Secondly, many items families use every day contain volatile substances. There are no restrictions on the sale of many products used in the average household, and it’s hard to impose age restrictions. So we make parents aware of the risks and call on retailers to be morally conscious of who they sell these products to.”

Jessica Setu, Upper Hutt City Council's Senior Advisor for Community Development, says larger specialist retailers in Upper Hutt, such as paint and hardware stores, generally keep volatile substances in secure areas or behind the counter. But there is less consistency among smaller and more general retailers.

The Council has encouraged retailers to be aware of warning signs by doing site visits to local stores and talking with staff and proprietors. Support information and resources were also provided and continue to be available from Council.

“A person buying excessive amounts of deodorant spray, someone who already smells of chemicals buying nail polish remover, or even a group of young people purchasing paint thinners—these indicators could point to someone who is taking risks with solvents,” says Ms Setu.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation has advice for parents and young people on their Volatile Substances website: www.volatilesubstances.org.nz

Advice for retailers is at www.volatilesubstances.org.nz/retailers-guide

About Upper Hutt City Council

Upper Hutt City Council is the steward and custodian of Upper Hutt City, providing governance, infrastructure, and community services and resources, and promoting opportunity in the city for business, recreation, lifestyle, and leisure. Upper Hutt City is located 30 km north-east of Wellington City (41°07'34" S, 175°04'06" E) and boasts 70% of the region’s parks and reserves, along with state-of-the-art entertainment and leisure facilities.

© Scoop Media