Treatment advisory issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition

For Immediate Release - Alexandria, VA

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
703/741-7686, ext. 116

NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals, applauded the release of a new substance abuse treatment advisory today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition that provides guidance on treatment for inhalant abuse.

"I have seen the devastating effects of inhalants to both individual users and their families," NAADAC President Roger A. Curtiss said.

"With the prevalence of brain damage and the potential for death, inhalant use cannot be ignored. This is an important advisory that will heighten public awareness and provide addiction professionals with additional tools for effective treatment."

With 13,000 members, NAADAC is the largest national organization for addiction-focused health care professionals.

Curtiss is the director of Alcohol and Drug Services of Anaconda/Deer Lodge County in Anaconda, Mont.

"Inhalants are a serious problem in Montana, especially on reservations," Curtiss said. "There is a high frequency of use among Native American adolescents."

Over 10 percent of individuals treated primarily for inhalant use in 2000 were Native American, according to the advisory, although they constitute just one percent of the total U.S. population. Native American inhalant use has declined, however, since the mid-1990s due to targeted prevention efforts.