Regulation and control

In Australia there are a number of regulations and strategies that aim to reduce the likelihood of people using volatile substances. One strategy for discouraging the use of volatile substances has been the introduction of low aromatic fuel (LAF). LAF discourages sniffing by lowering the amount of toxic components in the fuel, which are the components that cause the ‘high’ [32722]. The Australian Government subsidises the cost of LAF, so that it costs around the same amount to purchase as regular fuel. LAF is available across many remote regions in Australia.

The introduction of reduced-toxicity spray paints has also been linked to a reduction in sniffing across some areas of Australia [30508].

Other strategies that prevent the use of volatile substances vary from state to state. These include voluntary and statutory restrictions around the sale of solvents [20106][23048]. Many Australian states and territories have laws that prohibit the sale of solvents to certain people (such as children under the age of 18 years). There have also been a number of voluntary local programs introduced to work with retailers to reduce the supply of volatile substances by placing them in locked or secure areas, such as the CAYLUS Supply Reduction Program.