Bid to beat glue-sniffing

Press, 18 March 1983, Page 6

Bid to beat glue-sniffing

PA Auckland One of New Zealand’s biggest distributors of a solvent cement has called for suggestions from the public on how to combat gluesniffing among children. The product manager of A.H.I. Plastics Extrusion Company, Mr Peter Altmann, said yesterday, “As a distributor of a solvent cement I accept we have a social responsibility.” He had approached the chairman of the Nga Tapuwae College Board, Mr Brian Edwards for suggestions as to whether solvent products or their packaging could be changed in any way to prevent glue-sniff-ing. Mr Altmann said that the company would also welcome suggestions from the

public. One suggestion, he said, was the use of an additive which would make people violently ill if they sniffed the cement. A drawback to that idea, he said, was that the product was used by many people properly and in good faith. “We could use special labelling, but that may just serve to draw attention to the product.” The Social Welfare Department announced yesterday that a social worker would be placed with the Pacific Islanders Educational Resource Centre on the Nga Tapuwae College campus. The regional director, Mr Robin Wilson, said that the appointment would strengthen the department’s

role in the South Auckland community. It would add to the Maori Affairs, Labour, Health, and Police Department office recently established in Mangere. Mr Wilson said that gluesniffing was different from alcohol or heroin addiction.

“You cannot just dry them (young people) out or give them methadone. You need to strengthen the fabric of the society," he said. The new social worker would help residents find their own solutions to what was a social problem. The director of the Pacific Islanders Resource Centre, Mr Sefulu loane, said that the centre had approached the department about establishing a social

worker in Mangere about a year ago. The placement had nothing to do with the sniffing. People who know someone who sniffs glue or solvents can telephone “Lifeline” to seek help, according to the chairman of pyschological medicine services with the North Canterbury Hospital Board, Dr J. R. E. Dobson, yesterday. The telephone counselling, service had its own resources to help deal with the problem, or it could refer people to the child psychiatiric service, he said. The pyschiatric service was linked with the Alcohol and Drug Dependence Centre. Glue-sniffing carried the “slight but definite” risk of sudden death said Dr Dobson.