What Is The TikTok ‘Chroming’ Trend?

A new trend on TikTok poses danger to teens by encouraging them to inhale toxic fumes

A new TikTok trend is raising concerns among parents and authorities after it has been linked to several injuries and even the deaths of several teenagers around the globe. Originating from Australia, chroming, also known as “huffing,” is the act of inhaling the fumes of household chemicals such as nail polish remover, hairspray, aerosol deodorant, paint containers or permanent markers to achieve a temporary high. The social media trend has become especially popular among the Gen Z and Gen Alpha demographics in recent months.

The term chroming originally came from the practice of sniffing chrome-based paint to get high. However, it has since evolved to encompass the inhalation of a variety of toxic chemicals for recreational purposes.

Chroming may have recently gained attention thanks to social media apps, especially TikTok, but it’s not a new activity for teens. According to a 2017 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 684,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 huffed or inhaled toxic chemicals in 2015, according to a 2015 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The risks associated with chroming are severe and can lead to immediate and long-term health issues, including heart attack, seizures, suffocation, coma, choking, or fatal injury, as well as permanent organ damage. Long-term abuse of inhaled substances can cause cognitive impairments, such as difficulty concentrating, memory loss, impaired judgment, and a lower IQ. Despite these risks, the “chroming challenge” quickly gained popularity on TikTok, amassing over 546.3 million views on the platform.

TikTok has recently barred search results appearing for “chroming challenge,” though chroming videos continue to appear on the platform, with at least one surpassing 700,000 views, according to Yahoo News. The practice has also begun to appear on other social media platforms.

Tragically, several young people have already lost their lives to this trend, including a 13-year-old girl from Melbourne, Australia, who suffered irreparable brain damage and cardiac arrest after participating in a ‘chroming’ activity at a sleepover. An 11-year-old boy in the U.K. died last week after participating in a dangerous social media trend.

Authorities, healthcare professionals, and bereaved families have been vocal in raising awareness about the dangers of chroming, urging young people to understand the potentially fatal consequences of participating in such challenges. The loss of young lives to the chroming trend is a stark reminder of the importance of discussing the risks associated with social media challenges with children and teenagers.