Dangerous rise in the number of teenagers sniffing toxic fumes from household products to get high
Doctors are warning of the rise of a dangerous trend among children where they inhale toxic fumes from nail polish and highlighters to get ‘high’.
Videos of people ‘chroming’ or ‘panting’ have been viewed tens of millions of times on TikTok, with many users talking about being ‘addicted’.
In a clip posted to social media, a girl is seen sniffing the fumes of a roll-on deodorant as she walks around her house.
The troubling trend among teens was reported by doctors at the annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Orlando, Florida.
They urge other doctors and parents to make sure they are aware of the trend to better protect children.
Above you see a young girl sniffing a roll-on deodorant. Looks like she’s trying chrome plating
Esra Haynes, pictured, went into cardiac arrest after inhaling aerosol deodorant fumes – called chrome plating – and died days later from irreversible brain damage
In rare cases, the habit can also be fatal: Last year, a 13-year-old girl in Australia died after inhaling chemicals from a deodorant can.
In March this year, an 11-year-old boy from Britain suffered cardiac arrest and died after trying to chrome plate during a sleepover at a friend’s house.
Dr. Keerthi Krishna, a pediatric researcher at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center who led the study, said: ‘What is particularly concerning about chrome plating is that it uses everyday household items that are easily accessible to teenagers.
‘The hidden nature of these items means that parents and teachers are less likely to detect the behavior, significantly increasing the risk of repeat use and addiction among adolescents.’
In their research, which will be presented at the conference, the team analyzed 109 social media videos about chrome plating, which had been viewed 25 million times.
They found that permanent markers were the most common chrome item, appearing in 31 percent of videos.
Air dusters were the second most common, in 17 percent of videos, followed by nail polish, 12 percent, paint thinner, gasoline and deodorant spray, 11 percent for each.
About six percent of videos analyzed also showed users sniffing hairspray.
More than half of the videos referenced repetitive use or addiction.
Permanent markers contain chemicals that evaporate quickly once the pens are used, so the ink dries quickly.
However, if someone inhales the marker’s fumes, these chemicals can enter the bloodstream and then the brain, causing feelings of dizziness and euphoria.
Scientists have suggested that this happens because the chemicals ‘slow down’ the nervous system, giving a person a ‘high’.
Tommie-lee Gracie Billington, 11, (pictured) died in an incident at a house in Greenset Close, Lancaster, UK, after attempting to chrome plate during a sleepover
They warn that users may also experience slurred speech, hallucinations, nausea and vomiting as a result of the inhalation.
In some cases, it can also cause a heart attack or permanent damage to organs such as the brain if a person has trouble breathing.
The National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health shows that half a million children between the ages of 12 and 18 in the US have used an inhalant.
The National Institutes of Health says online that chrome plating is “intentional inhalation of volatile substances and can cause serious damage to the integrity of the central nervous system and disrupt the normal pathways of psychological, emotional, and neurobiological development.”
In their presentation, the authors will conclude that parents and pediatricians should be aware of this trend and its dangers, and say that social media companies must do more to prevent the spread of such harmful content.
They will present their findings Saturday at the Orange County Convention Center during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference and Exhibition.