Solvent abuse costs the UK public purse over £346 million every year (view report, view infographic).
- Approximately 57,000 adults in England & Wales used glues, solvents, gases or aerosols in the past year.
- In 2022/23, 244,000 16-24 year-olds in England and Wales used nitrous oxide.
- In England, 2.6% of 11-15 year olds used gluees, gases, aerosols or solvents in 2023 and 1.6% used nitrous oxide.
- IN 2020, 38 deaths were associated with volatile substances in the UK – 24 in England, 1 in Wales, 8 in Scotland and 5 in Northern Ireland.
- Between 2015 and 2020 there were 220 deaths associated with gases and solvents in the UK, averaging 44 deaths per year.
The latest prevalence, treatment and mortality data is presented below.
Facts about the prevalence of solvent abuse in the UK
Drug Misuse Declared: Findings from the 2009/10 British Crime Survey
In the last year that statistics on gases and solvents were collected for this report,
- 57,000 adults (aged 16 and over) in England & Wales used glues, solvents, gases or aerosols.
- 17,000 of these adults used them in the past month.
Drug Misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2023
Regarding nitrous oxide use:
- 1.3% of adults aged 16 to 59 (about 419,000 people) used nitrous oxide in 2022/23.
- The use was highest among 16-24 year-olds, at 4.2% (around 244,000 people).
Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England 2023
- Solvent abuse remains the most common form of substance misuse among under-14s.
- 2.6% of 11-15 year-olds (2.2% boys and 2.6% girls) reported using glue, gas, aerosols or solvents in the past year.
- 1.6% of 11-15 year-olds reported using nitrous oxide.
Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2018
- 3% of 15 year-old boys and 1% of 15-year old girls reported using gas, glue or other solvents in the past year.
- 11% of 15 year-old boys and 7% of 15-year old girls reported being offered gas, glue or other solvents in the past year.
- 7.2% of 15–16 year-old European students have used inhalants in their lifetime.
- The UK did not contribute to the 2019 report, but the average UK rate in 2012 was 10%.
Facts about solvent abuse mortality in the UK
- In 2020, England and Wales registered 25 deaths related to volatile substances.
- 72% of these deaths involved males.
- Deaths are most commonly occur in those aged 20-39, though in 2020 the average age of those who died was 46.
- Gas fuels (primarily butane) were responsible for 60% of all deaths.
Facts about solvent abuse treatment in the UK
Alcohol and drug misuse and treatment statistics England
- 390 adults received treatment for solvent abuse between April 2022 – March 2023, an increase of 19% on the year before.
- 629 young people received treatment for solvent abuse between April 2022- March 2023, an increase of over 95% on the previous year.
- 105 adults and 79 young people in secure settings received help for solvent abuse between April 2022 and March 2023, increases of 44% for adults and 92% for young people compared to the previous year.
Facts about solvent abuse policy
The Psychoactive Substances Act, 2016
Provides an overview of the Psychoactive Substances Act and supporting documents.
ACMD Advice on Nitrous Oxide, March 2023
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) provides guidance on nitrous oxide
Other solvent abuse research
Could excessive use of aerosols in a confined space result in exposure to lethal levels of butane?
Research by TICTAC Communications Ltd, St George’s, University of London and the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association in 2009.
The Social Impact of Solvent Abuse (view report, view infographic)
Bates Wells Braithwaite, 2017
The first report to analyse the social impact and financial costs of solvent abuse on society.
Tackling VSA in Scotland: Interviews with young people
Marina Clayton, 2007
Interviews with young people in residential care who discuss their experience of ‘buzzing’ or ‘sniffing’ solvents.
