The Plight of Glue Sniffing Children

In every home, children have parents to take care of them but not a street child. Nowhere to call his home, life on the street and passing the night at any available place, prove to be dangerous for these children.

The cause of street children varies. Some are neglected and have no one to take care of them, some come from very poor family, while other causes are famine, war, civil unrest and family breakups.

While on the streets fighting for survival, many end up in the hands of criminals and drug traffickers, whereby they are exploited and abused. Without education and external support, the homeless children primarily exposed to dangerous lifestyles, including drug addiction and glue sniffing.

The problem associated with Glue sniffing children is a global issue, especially in poverty-stricken countries.

What is Glue sniffing? A solvent mostly used by shoe repairers, when one inhales glue, it gives a reaction that cuts off oxygen to the brain and the one gets intoxicated.

Since children can’t afford to buy shoe repairer’s glue, they find alternatives such as gasoline cans, typewriter correction fluids, paints, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids, hairsprays and other variety of aerosols from the waste dump, putting themselves at serious risk of brain damage, respiratory infections, and other problems.

According to data compiled by a non-governmental organization in Pakistan, there are over 30,000 children addicted to glue sniffing in Pakistan.

If an adult can shed tears after smelling Glue, evidently shows how powerful Glue sniffing can affect a child’s health. Once a child starts Glue sniffing there is the possibility of using other dangerous drugs.

There are campaigns against glue sniffing and few organizations are helping children out of this predicament, but the fight is slow.

Since Glue sniffing is often the only remedy for children facing hunger and despair, it is feared that the rate of Glue sniffing children would increase rapidly in poverty-stricken countries across the world.