Government, trade and industry and other preventative responses to volatile substance abuse

1. Since the early 1960s the USA has attempted to combat the problem of volatile substance abuse through legislation including restricting sales, banning 'sniffing', labelling and adding unpleasant smells to abused products. None of this legislation appears to have had the desired effect. 2. VSA has been a growing problem in Britain since the 1970s and presently kills two people per week. The British Government initially adopted a low profile approach, although legislation restricting the sale of abused products was introduced in 1985. 3. In 1984 the British Adhesives Manufacturers Association founded Re-Solv, the society for the prevention of solvent and volatile substance abuse; it is now an independent national charity. Re-solv believe that a broad education programme is needed to combat VSA and are involved in many such projects.