DUBAI // Two teenage boys have been placed under legal observation for three months after police caught them sniffing the solvent toluene in a shopping centre.
The boys, a 16-year-old from the UK and a 15-year-old from Mali, were arrested at Deira City Centre on July 1, 2011, after a man noticed they were acting abnormally and called police.
The boys confessed, but said it was their first time.
The private school where the British boy is a pupil sent a letter to the Juvenile Court saying that the incident was out of character.
Inhaling toluene, a clear liquid that smells of paint thinner, can affect the central nervous system and cause symptoms similar to drunkenness.
An expert on toxins told the court that although toluene is not addictive, it can lead to death if it is inhaled repeatedly.
After three months, a report will go to the court which will then decide if the observation period should be extended.