Rugby Boys: Inhalant Abuse in the Philippines

Inhalants cause nausea, blurred vision, memory lapses and motor loss. These effects may be a minor discomfort to the user right after inhalation but the permanent damage inhalants bring are irreversible. Damage to the vital organs of the body such as the liver, kidneys, the brain and the heart could prove to be fatal.

In a third- world country like the Philippines, substance abuse is rampant. The impoverished population is the most common victim of addiction to dangerous and illegal substances. Why? Once they are "high" they forget the painful hunger they have been battling for days. Others though, become addicted because of family problems, poor self- esteem and peer pressure. Solvents, particularly rugby is the inhalant of choice in the Philippines for most teenagers since it can be easily accessed. Some shrewd store- owners even sell the adhesive in small portions to children and teenagers. In a recent television documentary by Karen Davila, a Filipino broadcaster, a boy they ordered to buy rugby from a store easily purchased a bottle of rugby and was even told by the store- owner that the rugby should be wrapped in paper so that no one would notice. This is because there is a law prohibiting the selling of solvents to minors without parental consent. Yet, the presence of this law did not quell the selling of this dangerous solvent to children. These inconsiderate businessmen even teach the children how to get away with buying rugby, unintentionally flaming their addiction.

The documentary also clearly showed the effects of inhalant abuse on a person's body. One male teenager who served as the subject of the documentary has been addicted to rugby for five years. He started sniffing rugby due to the influence of his peers. He became addicted to rugby because of its' intoxicatingly sweet smell. His parents know about his addiction but as his mother tearfully explained, they can no longer stop him from inhaling the toxic substance. His father even resorted to physical beating to teach him a lesson, to no avail. All his friends are addicts and the meager money they earn are saved to buy a bottle of rugby. The boy even turned his addiction into business; he would buy a bottle of rugby then sell it in portions to his friends then whatever profit he makes will allow him to buy more bottles of rugby.

In the months they have observed this boy's life, they were able to capture him at his lowest point. With the years of abuse that his body suffered, he was no longer able to stand or walk properly and his body was merely skin and bones. When he was brought for a medical check- up, doctors found out that he had tuberculosis and that his liver and kidneys were not functioning well. Through CT Scan, it was remarkable that his brain was smaller in size than the average brain size for his age bracket. Doctors said that if he refuses to discontinue his habit, he would eventually wind up either a vegetable, in a coma or worse, dead.

This boy is just one of the hundreds of children and teenagers who are rugby users. Some manufacturers of this solvent have created a new type of rugby that does not have the "smell" these rugby addicts seek. This is a step in the right direction and hopefully, more manufacturers would follow. But as long as there are people who continually sell these solvents to these kids, rugby users will continue and thrive. Store- owners should be conscientious about their money- making goals and make sure that they are not contributing to the destruction of these children. The Philippine government should penalize these people who illegally sell these solvents to children. It is not enough that a law exists; the law will be useless without firm execution.

For parents, being poor does not mean being victims of poverty. Teaching our children what is right and wrong is our obligation to them and to society. The values and morals we imbibe in our children are not something we can buy with money, but something we can instill on them that is priceless. Let us remember that no matter how mature and street- wise they are with the ways of this cruel world, they are still children. Sniffing rugby might be their way to cry for help or to fill a void in their lives; a void that can be filled by unconditional love and guidance. Hopefully, these children can be saved and not become another statistic.