Study warns about deadly TikTok trend ‘chroming’

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

A deadly new TikTok craze is being promoted in more than 100 videos on the social media platform popular among children, warns a new study.

The stunt - known as " chroming " - involves inhaling toxic fumes from household items such as paint, solvent, aerosol cans, nail polish or permanent markers.

It has already claimed the life of one young English lad.

Tommie-lee Gracie Billington, 11, died during a sleepover at a pal's house in Lancashire in March this year.

Two people, a 25-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, have been questioned by police in connection with his death.

Now, American researchers say a "resurgence" in chroming could be due to videos featuring the practice on TikTok that have been watched millions of times.

Study first author Keerthi Krishna, of Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center, New York, said: “What is particularly concerning about chroming is that it uses everyday household items that are easily accessible to teens.

“The covert nature of these items means that parents and teachers are less likely to detect the behavior, significantly increasing the risk of repeated usage and addiction among adolescents.”

Chroming - also called “huffing” - can produce a short euphoric state.

But inhalant abuse can lead to dizziness, brain damage, and even death.

The research team analyzed 109 TikTok videos labeled #huffing or #chroming that together had gained more than 25 million views.

TikTok's largest user demographic is 10- to 19-year-olds.

Of the videos analyzed, permanent markers (31%) were the most common chroming item, followed by air dusters (17%), nail polish (12%), paint thinner (11%), petrol (11%), spray deodorant (11%), and hair spray (6%).

The age range of the video creators were children (39%), college students (26%), young adults (22%) or anonymous (13%). Half the creators were female (50%).

Of the 109 videos, 70% were memes; common memes included the phrase “in X years when the [chroming item] catches up to me.”

More than half of the videos (52 percent) referenced repeated usage or addiction.

The researchers concluded that parents and doctors need to be aware of the trend and its dangers, and say social media companies should do more to prevent the spread of such harmful content.

Study author Rachel Kim, of Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center, said: "Our findings underscore the urgent need for increased moderation efforts from social media platforms like TikTok to stop the dissemination of chroming content.

"A concerning amount of video creators were minors, highlighting the vulnerability of children engaging in harmful behaviors.

"Chroming items are often common household items, making them readily accessible and cheap, with a high potential for addiction and severe health consequences.

"The high prevalence of chroming memes perpetuates its normalization among youth, which may lead individuals to view chroming as a 'safer' and socially acceptable alternative to traditional drugs."

She added: "There is a strong need for pediatricians to discuss the dangers of chroming with caregivers and patients."

The findings are due to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, Friday, Sept. 27.

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