Opal fuel is specially treated to remove the toxic compounds which get sniffers "high" and ultimately cause brain damage.
The federal government is subsidising Opal fuel to make it price-competitive and encourage its use in Aboriginal communities.
The coordinator of the Adelaide division of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, Glen Giles, is concerned that Opal fuel may not solve petrol sniffing.
"The Opal petrol initiative we think may be useful for slowing down a bit the petrol sniffing, but the petrol sniffers now have worked out how to sniff Opal and still get a hit - apparently they put it in foam cups and leave it a few hours and go back to it, and they get some result that way."