Inhalant use and delinquent behavior among adolescents: a comparison of inhalant users and other drug users

Aims. To evaluate the association between inhalant use and delinquent or cr iminal behavior Design. A large statewide sample of high school students pa rticipated in a survey on drug use. Five groups were identified based an re ported drug use: inhalant experimenters, other drug experimenters, inhalant users, other drug users and non-users. Inhalant users were compared with o ther drug users and inhalant experimenters with other drug experimenters on three measures of problem behavior. Participants. Over 13 000 students in grades 7-12 participated in the 1993 survey on drug use. Measurements. Thre e measures of problem behavior: drinking and drug-taking, "trouble behavior " and minor criminal activity. Findings. Among upper (9-12) grade level stu dents only, both inhalant users and inhalant experimenters reported more mi nor criminal activity than other drug users and other drug experimenters, r espectively. A similar trend was noted for trouble behavior. The same was n ot found for drinking and drug-taking behavior. Conclusions. The findings s uggest that inhalant use is categorically different from other drug use, an d that it has more in common with general delinquency than with general dru g use. Prevention and treatment strategies should take this into considerat ion.