This award-winning poster was created by a former solvent abuser.
obody knows for sure how wide-spread solvent abuse is in Aboriginal communities in Canada. The first time many of us saw solvent abuse was
in 1993, after a video taken by a tribal police officer in Davis Inlet was broadcast across the country. We saw a group of teenagers
getting high on gasoline. While not every First Nation and Inuit youth has inhaled solvents, there are reports6 that sniffing is a major
health problem in some communities. It also appears to be worse in some remote and isolated communities where adequate social and economic
structures are not in place.
Children may turn to solvents for a number of reasons. Jonas* started sniffing gasoline because there wasn't really much else to do in
his community. And besides, he saw other kids doing it. After sniffing for a while though, Jonas started feeling angry all the time. He
thought sniffing gas was going to be fun. But these days, Jonas feels sick most of the time and can't even eat. Lately, he's been getting
nosebleeds that last for days.
While each child has a unique experience, there are some common reasons why some Aboriginal children may abuse solvents. Like Jonas,
children will sometimes turn to inhalants as a way to cope with poverty, poor housing, unemployment, boredom, loss of self-respect and
family breakdown. Many of these problems are directly connected to the residential
school experience as well as to systemic racism, loss of land, language and culture over the generations.
Working together to stop solvent abuse
There is hope for those hooked on solvents. In the past decade, eight treatment
centres have been established across the country
by Health Canada in partnership with First Nations and Inuit people. These centres deal specifically with solvent abuse among Aboriginal
youth. While programs are not yet geared specifically for Inuit, they are culturally-based and run by First Nations people. The centres
are also recognized internationally as being on the leading edge of treatment and prevention. They focus on the holistic idea of
resiliency - how
well a person can recover or bounce back in spite of significant stress. This inner strength is vital in coping with the economic, social,
psychological and spiritual stresses faced by First Nations and Inuit youth today.
The treatment centres are linked through the Youth Solvent Addiction Committee (YSAC)
whose goal is to provide culturally appropriate, therapeutic, inhalant treatment and community intervention programming for First Nations
and Inuit youth and their families. YSAC works to help young people connect with who they are.
Each year approximately 360 youth (60% females & 40% males) receive treatment at the centres. One is the Nimkee NupiGawagan Healing
Centre and a young person the centre helped this year was Terry.* She used to inhale solvents. But after four months of treatment, she's
now back at home, going to school and is doing well. Her parents are very proud of her. Now that Terry is solvent-free, she's able to show
the world just how talented she really is. She's part of a traditional singing group, which has been invited to perform at local events.
Terry is also quite an artist. She won a poster contest co-sponsored by YSAC and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse this year. Among
other things, her creation will now be used in YSAC prevention sessions with school children. It will help other kids see the dangers of
solvent abuse.
Terry has worked hard to get her life back. Just like the young woman in her poster, she has a good understanding of who she is... and
has the internal strength to keep solvents away.
* Not a real name
6 Results from a 1993 study of solvent abuse on Canadian
reserves. Health Canada and Kaweionnehta Human Resource Group (1994). First
Nations and Inuit Community Youth Solvent Abuse Survey and Study. Ottawa: National
Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program/ Addictions and Community-Funded Programs.
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Written by Dr. Colleen Anne Dell and Sherry Huff for the 
