Huffing coverage

As you will doubtless have heard, 63 people, mostly kids and youth, have died from ‘huffing’ over the past 12 years.  That’s about the same as the number of youths who commit suicide in six months.

Suicide coverage in the media is restrained by awareness of the risks of over-publicising it.  Along those lines, the NZ Drug Foundation (on Twitter) points us to the Chief Coroner’s recommendations (page 3) for media coverage of `volatile substance abuse’

The reporting of all volatile substance abuse is recognised  as being of a highly sensitive nature. Reporting has the potential to assist in the reduction of abuse, or conversely increase the incidence by promoting use and the availability of products that may be used. Although there are no inhalant specific media guidelines, the following considerations based on those expressed by the 1985 Senate Select Committee on Volatile Fumes in Canberra, Australia may be a useful guide:
• The products subject to abuse should not be named and the methods used should not be described or depicted.
• Reports of inhalant abuse should be factual and not sensationalised or glamourised.
• The causes of volatile substance abuse are complex and varied. Reporting on deaths should not be superficial.
• Stories should include local contact details for further information or support.

The Drug Foundation say they have a site with resources, but it seems to be down at the moment (up again now).