Inhalant misuse reported to America’s Poison Centers, 2001–2021

Abstract

Context/Objective

This study investigated characteristics and trends of inhalant misuse reported to United States poison centers from 2001 through 2021.

Methods

Using data from the National Poison Data System and the United States Census Bureau, analyses were conducted of demographic and other characteristics, inhalant category, level of health care received, and medical outcome, and population-based rate trends were assessed.

Results

United States poison centers managed 26,446 inhalant misuse cases from 2001 through 2021, which equaled an annual average of 1,259 cases. Most inhalant misuse involved males (73.0%) or a single substance (91.0%). Teenagers accounted for 39.7% of cases. Among inhalant misuse cases, 41.4% were associated with a serious medical outcome and 27.7% were admitted to a healthcare facility. Overall, the rate of inhalant misuse per 1,000,000 United States population increased by 9.6% (P = 0.0031) from 5.33 in 2001 to 5.84 in 2010, followed by a decrease to 2.60 (–55.5%, P < 0.001) in 2021. “Freon and other propellants” showed the largest change in rate, increasing from 1.28 in 2001 to 3.55 in 2010 (P < 0.001), before decreasing to 1.36 in 2021 (P < 0.001). This trend was driven by the 13–19-year-old age group, and the trend reversal in 2010 among teenagers coinciding with an almost complete ban on Freon^TM by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which it implemented under the Clean Air Act.

Conclusions

Although the annual rate of inhalant misuse reported to United States poison centers has been decreasing since 2010, it remains an important public health problem. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 regulation of Freon^TM may have been an important contributor to the dramatic trend reversal and decrease in inhalant misuse rates starting in that year. This may exemplify the potential effect that regulatory efforts can have on public health.

Keywords:

• Inhalant misuse
• volatile substance misuse
• Freon
• hydrochlorofluorocarbon
• Clean Air Act

Acknowledgements

America’s Poison Centers maintains the National Poison Data System (NPDS), which houses de-identified records of self-reported information from callers to the country’s poison centers. National Poison Data System data do not reflect the entire universe of exposures to a particular substance as additional exposures may go unreported to poison centers; accordingly, NPDS data should not be construed to represent the complete incidence of US exposures to any substance(s). Exposures do not necessarily represent a poisoning or overdose and America’s Poison Centers is not able to completely verify the accuracy of every report. Findings based on NPDS data do not necessarily reflect the opinions of America’s Poison Centers.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no financial disclosures relevant to this study.

Data availability statement

Data for this study were obtained from the National Poison Data System and are owned by America’s Poison Centers. Data requests should be directed to America’s Poison Centers.

Additional information

Funding

Author, Raymond L. Hogge, received a student scholar research stipend from the Child Injury Prevention Alliance while he worked on this study.