Toluene and other inhalants are a particular problem
with minors because these drugs are widely and easily
accessible, legal, and inexpensive. Although frequently
encouraged, efforts to restrict the purchase of these agents
by young people have not proven effective in preventing
inhalant abuse. Hardware and other retail stores havebeen encouraged to store these substances in locked cabinets,
but this procedure has not produced a major barrier
to access. Even though most abusers start using inhalants
at a young age, they often continue this form of substance
abuse for many years. Many of our patients have inhaled
these vapors for decades, and it is not uncommon to see
50- and 60-year-old individuals still engaged in this dangerous
practice