Concern about VSA by young people is relatively recent – since the 1960s in the USA and since the 1970s in the UK, but sniffing to achieve intoxication isn’t new. Find out some of the history of VSA.

In 1990, the British Medical Journal reviewed the progress – or lack of it - in dealing with the problem. Read their editorial

How many young people sniff? Get information on the prevalence of VSA.

VSA involves many different products that contain a wide range of chemicals. The main products used in the UK are glues, gases and aerosols. But many other products can be sniffed; for example, petrol sniffing is common among some young people in other parts of the world. Find out what is in the products that sniffers use by looking at the chemical contents table.

In the UK, there are laws controlling the sale of sniffable products to young people.