Summary

Introduction: Inhalables such as glue, thinner and other petroleum derivatives are one of the most widely used groups of substances among the Mexican adolescent population. Recent studies have shown that, along with marijuana, inhalables are the type of drug of choice for the young population.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that differentiate users from inhalables from users of other drugs, as well as those who do not use them.

Method: Data from the Federal District's 2009 Student Survey were used, which involved 22,980 high school and high school students.

Results: Inhalable users are younger, come from levels with fewer resources, and their parents have lower levels of schooling than parents of non-users; we also find that inhalable users come from places where drug use is most tolerated, including the family and social environment; availability and the opportunity for consumption are also important. Compared to those who use other drugs, inhalable users are more impulsive, have more friends with antisocial problems, and more often report a family drug user.

Discussion and conclusions: Our results reaffirm the need to design prevention programs that focus not only on drug use, but on family and social factors related to an increased risk of use.