Inhalant abuse and heroin addiction: a comparative study on 574 opiate addicts with and without a history of sniffing.

In the present study, a comparison relating to various social aspects was made between 74 opiate addicts who had abused or continued to abuse solvents and 500 fixers without sniffing experience (SE). The results show clear differences between the two groups with reference to age, sex, social status, socialization conditions, family structure, education, vocational training, drug sequence and criminality as well as attitude and motivation towards withdrawal therapy. Contrary to hitherto existing assumptions, solvent abuse among children and juveniles can lead to opiate addiction, given a certain set of social circumstances. Polytoxicomanic opiate addicts with sniffing experience can be differentiated as a marginal group with particularly unfavorable developmental conditions and a specific course of addiction. The results make it clear that a stronger differentiation is necessary within the group of heroin addicts, which has often been regarded as being homogeneous.