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The challenge involving inhaling toxic fumes has gained popularity among the younger generations, raising serious health concerns among health professionals and parents.
Adolescents’ use of social media has left older generations, including the oldest members of Generation Z, baffled.
Although every generation has encountered unsettling trends, the rise of social media has intensified these issues, creating an even bigger trap for Generation Alpha and the younger members of Gen Z. From the blackout challenge to the tranquilizer challenge, one thing that remains constant is the dangerous consequences they all share.
The latest ridiculous trend is chroming. It involves inhaling toxic fumes from substances such as paint thinners, aerosol cans, glue, and cleaning products to achieve a brief high while the audience has a laugh at their expressions and dodgy pupils.
This practice, which has gained notoriety predominantly on TikTok, has resulted in several tragic incidents, including the deaths of some young users. Videos showcasing chroming methods such as spraying aerosols directly into the mouth or using bags to inhale fumes have accumulated millions of views.
With how readily accessible these toxic substances are, teenagers worldwide have been tempting their fate by experimenting with the challenge without fully understanding the risks involved.
🚨Did you know? Thanks to social media, a dangerous trend called “chroming” is making a comeback among our youth. Teens inhale fumes from everyday household items to get high, leading to severe health risks. Be aware and talk to your kids. https://t.co/5cgDpzAOwV pic.twitter.com/ZydZka27JB
— Drug Free Duval (@DrugFreeDuval) October 3, 2024
Many of those participating experience nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, and muscle weakness. More severe reactions can involve seizures, heart palpitations, and even respiratory failure.
Multiple fatalities have occurred already, including an 11-year-old UK boy and a 13-year-old Australian girl, both dying from cardiac arrest. More recently, a 12-year-old boy suffered seizures and cardiac arrest after inhaling fumes, leading to a medically induced coma.
Unsurprisingly, inhalant abuse has been documented since at least the 1970s, with people misusing the substances for their psychoactive effects. Over the years, the range of products used for inhalation expanded, but it was not until the 1990s and early 2000s that specific terms like ’chroming’ gained traction – particularly in Australia.
With social media serving as a powerful catalyst for these behaviors, it enabled the quick dissemination of chroming as a trend. Nevertheless, TikTok jumped into action at the height of its fame and began implementing measures to combat the trend.
The platform now redirects users searching for chroming-related terms to health resources aimed at educating them about the dangers of inhalant use. Critics argue, however, that more stringent regulations are needed to prevent the normalization of stupid online behaviors.
In response to tragic incidents linked to chroming, including the deaths of the young individuals in the UK and Australia, health officials and governments are raising awareness about the dangers of inhalant abuse.
In addition, pediatricians and emergency medicine experts are advocating for increased parental involvement in monitoring children’s exposure to harmful substances and social media content.
They stress the importance of open conversations between parents and children regarding substance use and the potential risks associated with viral challenges.
Ultimately, the rise of dangerous trends among adolescents, amplified by social media, highlights a deeper societal issue: the rapid spread of harmful ideas in the digital age. Chroming should be the last dangerous trend to gain traction on social media, but we’re seriously doubtful it will be.
