July 2002

Campaigns tackle chroming

Campaigns to promote the responsible sale of spray paint cans and to help schools discourage students from chroming are under-way.

‘Chroming, or the inhalation of solvents, is a serious issue affecting vulnerable young people in our community and the Government is committed to developing a comprehensive set of strategies to prevent it,’ said Health Minister John Thwaites.

Mr Thwaites was launching a kit to inform retailers about their rights and responsibilities regarding the sale of solvents, along with a new resource kit for schools.

The retailers’ kit, developed in consultation with a retailers reference group, includes guidelines and a poster on retailers’ legal rights and responsibilities and factual information about solvent abuse.

‘The kit will ensure retailers can make informed decisions about the sale of solvents to minors—and it also contains advice on how to deal with young people seeking to buy solvents, including appropriate questions.’

The kit also contains a sticker for the front door of stores to identify them as supporting the responsible sale of solvents.

‘A number of major retailers such as Mitre-10, PaintRight and Bunnings Warehouse have already developed policies to restrict the sale of these products.

‘This includes keeping them off the shelf and away from public display—it’s an example of the co-operative, multi-tiered approach to combat the serious social problem of chroming.’

The education kit Volatile Solvents: A Resource for Schools will be distributed to teachers to help them identify and help young people involved in chroming.

Developed by the Department of Education and Training, the kit will be available to all schools to help teachers address issues relating to chroming as they arise and to help minimise chroming among their students.

Mr Thwaites said the Government also understood the need to address the underlying reasons for substance abuse and had provided an extra $347,000 for more specialist alcohol and drug treatment and therapeutic workers.

‘These specialist workers will ensure young people in secure welfare receive timely and specialist care, including dealing with inhalant abuse.

‘Chroming is banned in any State-run facility but the workers still have to provide young people with support and advice.

‘The workers will be linked to the child protection program and community organisations providing out-of-home care and counselling.’

Other Government initiatives to help prevent chroming include:

• Resources for Aboriginal alcohol and drug agencies to deal with chroming;

• Developing chroming management guidelines for residential agencies;

• Investigating the feasibility of modifying solvents to deter use, such as adding a bittering agent to some solvents;

• Providing funds to local government to deal with local drug hot spots.

‘And the issue of chroming has been referred to the Premier’s Drugs Prevention Council for consideration,’ Mr Thwaites said.