Founded in 1984, Re-Solv works to reduce the harms caused by volatile substance abuse (‘VSA’ or ‘solvent abuse’) and the misuse of other legal substances across the UK.
We achieve this by:
- Keeping this ever-present and changing form of legal substance misuse in the forefront of policy and public awareness
- Continuing to drive prevention through education and training
- Providing support for the individuals, families and communities affected.
We are primarily supported by statutory, grant and trust funding.
Gas and solvent use (‘solvent abuse’)
The deliberate inhalation of volatile compounds to produce psychoactive effects (EMCDDA). These volatile compounds include gases such as butane and nitrous oxide, petrol, solvents and some glues. They are contained legitimately in everyday products found in all our homes and high streets.
Directly inhaling gases and solvents can kill instantly and there is no ‘safe’ way of doing it that avoids this risk. Learn why.
Support and recovery
With over forty years’ experience and dedication to the prevention of gas and solvent inhalation, Re-Solv is acknowledged as the UK lead in the field and delivers professional training and support for people struggling with this form of substance misuse.
Education and Prevention
Re-Solv works with local communities on prevention programmes. We also deliver school sessions on the misuse of gases and solvents and other teen drugs, and can provide teacher training sessions for inset days.
Please visit our Education & Prevention pages for more information.
Training
Re-Solv provides bespoke training on gas and solvent use for professionals, peer mentors, volunteers and those in recovery across the UK. We also run workshops and awareness-building sessions for service user groups. Find out more on our Training page.
Advocacy
Re-Solv has been campaigning to keep gas and solvent use at the forefront of the public agenda since 1984. Our recent advocacy work has included:
In 2025, the ONS agreed to re-examine the data on Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA) mortality in England and Wales, resulting in the publication of a new report, Death registrations related to volatile substance abuse, England and Wales : 2018 to 2024.
- In 2025 Re-Solv commissioned the Office for National Statistics to produce a new mortality report on deaths associated with the intentional inhalation of gases and solvents in England and Wales.
- In 2023 Re-Solv contributed to the UK government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ report on exempting Alkyl Nitrites from the Psychoactive Substances Act (2016)
- In 2022 Re-Solv was co-opted onto the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs working group to support the updating of the Nitrous Oxide harms assessment.
- In 2019, Re-Solv and Mentor UK commissioned the summary Report for the All Party Parliamentary Group on NPS and VSA from the Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University.
- In 2018, Re-Solv worked with the Advisory & Impact team at Bates Wells to research and publish the first report into The Social Impact of Solvent Abuse.
- The All Party Parliamentary Group on NPS and VSA ran from 2016-2020, with Re-Solv and Mentor UK as joint secretariat.
- In 2014, Re-Solv contributed to the Home Office’s Expert Panel on New Psychoactive Substances.
Resources
Re-Solv has a range of resources for young people, parents, schools, professionals and those who may be using volatile substances. Please visit our Resources page for more details.
Annual report
Please take a moment to read our most recent annual report. The report highlights our service delivery achievements over 2025/26, as well as providing a snapshot of the current issues with gas and solvent use across the UK.
