Inquest into the death of Bradley Hope

Case Number: 2019/386164

Findings Date: 3 March 2023

Magistrate: Teresa O'Sullivan

CORONIAL LAW | manner of death; volatile substance use; chroming; drug education; roundtable

Responses

Recommendations

The NSW Ministry of Health

A. That the NSW Ministry of Health convene a ‘round-table’ forum with stakeholders in NSW in relation to the issue of Volatile Substance Use (VSU) in NSW, including as to the misuse of aerosol deodorants and also ‘nangs’, informed by the approach adopted by the ‘Inhalants Roundtable’ convened by the Queensland Government, and chaired by the QLD Chief Health Officer in December 2019 (NSW VSU Roundtable).

B. That the NSW VSU Roundtable participants – in addition to the Department of Health - include relevant stakeholders such as:

i. the NSW Police Force;

ii. the NSW Department of Education;

iii. the NSW Education Standards Authority;

iv. the NSW Ambulance Service;

v. the NSW Department of Communities & Justice;

vi. industry participants, including the Aerosol Association of Australia and Unilever Australia Limited;

vii. all major retailers of aerosols (including Coles, Woolworths and pharmacies);

viii. the retail associations (including the National Retail Association and the Australian Retailers Association);

ix. Community youth and AOD services (including NGOs);

x. First Nations health agencies;

xi. an advisory expert panel (including academics in the VSU field);

xii. any other organisations or individuals of relevance;

C. That key themes of the NSW VSU Roundtable include consideration of:

i. Prioritising the collation of data across agencies in NSW to obtain better statistical evidence relating to VSU use in NSW (including the use of aerosols and ‘nangs’), including as to the prevalence of VSU in NSW;

1. data trends in VSU within NSW;

2. potential ‘hotspots’ within NSW; and

3. mortality (deaths) and morbidity (harms) associated with VSU within NSW.

ii. A review of the NSWPF P79A Form with respect to capturing sufficient information which may indicate the need for specific toxicity testing;

iii. Arrangements and channels of communication for sharing such data between agencies and stakeholders (including at a national level) so as to better monitor, respond to and report upon, VSU (including outbreaks or ‘hotspots’);

iv. Ensuring adequate training of first responders (including police, NSW Ambulance officers and social and youth workers) in identifying VSU and the risks associated with it;

v. The formulation of an appropriate public health education program to address VSU, informed by an expert focus group, including:

1. Whether VSU should be addressed in school-based prevention programmes;

2. Teacher education including as to the signs of VSU, the risks of VSU and how to deal with young people who may be engaging in VSU, whether recreationally or as chronic users;

3. Parental education including as to the signs of VSU, the risk of VSU and how to deal with young people who may be engaging in VSU, whether recreationally or as chronic users;

4. Providing harm reduction education for regular users of VSU;

5. Promotion of links to reputable sources of information, such as the Australian Drug Foundation (and others);

6. First aid training for children and young people responding to emergencies involving illicit substances, including education on the benefits of a timely medical response;

7. Peer to peer education amongst adolescent and older users;

vi. The potential utility of introducing legislation in NSW regulating the sale of volatile substances/inhalants by retailers where there are reasonable grounds to believe/suspect that the products may be abused (such as s. 23 of the Summary Offences Act 2005 (Qld) and s. 206 of the Criminal Code Act Compilation Act 1913 (WA);

vii. The inclusion of basic life support training within the high school curriculum, so as to equip young people with basic skills to deal with medical emergencies arising from VSU;

viii. Collaboration with the Department of Health and Aged Care (Cmth), and other state agencies and stakeholders (including youth organisations and health agencies) as to the potential resurrection of the National Inhalants Information Service website (previously operative until 2014);

ix. Exploration of non-volatile compressed gas propellants as an alternative to hydrocarbon propellants in aerosol deodorants.

The Aerosol Association of Australia (AAA)

D. That the AAA collaborate with other aerosol industry participants (including Unilever) to retain an appropriate expert to conduct an evaluation of the efficacy and impact of warning labels on aerosol containers regarding inhalant abuse/VSU in Australia;

E. That the AAA update its publication ‘Aerosol Association of Australia – AEROSOL LABELLING – An introduction’ (July 2018) to include guidance to industry participants on labelling and warnings against VSU, to the effect that:

i. all aerosols should carry a warning against deliberate inhalation;

ii. suggesting the ‘SACKI’ (Solvent Abuse Can Kill Instantly) or ‘IMCKI’ (Inhalant Misuse Can Kill Instantly’) warnings, or another warning to the same effect;

1. That the AAA liaise with Committee PK-013 and the Council of Standards Australia regarding Australian Standard AS 2278.1 (2022) re ‘Aerosol Containers’ as to the inclusion of mandatory VSU warnings in the labelling section.

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