Inhalant Initiation and the Relationship of Inhalant Use to the Use of other Substances

Abstract

Conventional wisdom suggests that inhalant use is primarily isolated to youthful experimentation; however, a growing body of evidence suggests that inhalant use (a) occurs after use of common substances of experimentation (e.g., alcohol, marijuana), (b) can persist into later life, and (c) is associated with severe consequences. The current study examined the sequencing of substances relative to inhalants and the post-initiation correlates of inhalant use between youth and young adulthood in nationally representative Add Health data. Analyses examined the relationship of substance of initiation to use of other substances, as well as an examination of the relationship between substance use and consequences. The analyses suggest that (a) those initiating their substance use careers with inhalants often go on to use hard drugs, (b) inhalant use likely occurs after alcohol and marijuana use, and (c) inhalant use during adolescence was associated with health and criminal consequences in both adolescence and young adulthood.