Gen Z loves ‘chroming:’ Doctors sound alarm on lethal trend, issue urgent warning to parents
“Chroming” is the latest trend to gain traction among teens — and it’s claimed the lives of multiple children.
Similar to huffing, “chroming” refers to the practice of inhaling chemicals from common items like permanent markers, aerosol deodorant, nail polish, paints or hair spray for a short-lived high, according to CNN.
“Most of these products are easy to find in homes and cheap to buy in stores,” Dr. Betty Choi, an author and pediatrician told CNN. “(Chroming) can become addictive when it’s done over and over again.”
“Chroming” — a term derived from sniffing chrome-based paint products — has resulted in deaths and hospitalizations of children in recent months, and prompted concerned parents to speak out.
But the behavior isn’t new — whippets and huffing substances have been around for years.
“People have been inhaling fumes for centuries,” Choi said. “According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, inhalant abuse peaked in the 1990s and was downtrending over the last two decades. But in recent years, experimentation rates among teens have risen again.”
The number of American adolescents using inhalants declined from 684,000 in 2015 to 554,000 in 2022 — but rose again last year to 564,000, according to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
On a dark corner of TikTok, “WhipTok” users — a nod to the term “whippets” — used to upload content related to “chroming,” which the platform has tried to censor by barring creators from using the tag and instead highlights helplines and other resources for substance abuse.
But, unlike the more lighthearted TikTok trends, this online fad can prove fatal.
“Chroming” can cause slurred speech, hallucinations, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and other serious adverse side effects like heart attacks, seizures, suffocation or death. It can inflict damage to internal organs like the brain, heart, lungs and more.
According to the National Institute of Health, “sudden sniffing death syndrome” can happen after just one use.
“There’s often an underlying psychiatric component of these kids who are just looking to relax or self-medicate,” Dr. Anthony Pizon, a professor of emergency medicine and the chief of the division of medical toxicology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told CNN.
Meanwhile, reports about teens’ declining mental health have emerged in recent years.
Pizon cautioned that children who “are engaging in this activity are likely at risk of seeking more potent drugs,” and recommended that parents throw away or lock up items that could be used for “chroming” and potentially limit social media or monitor their online activity.
“The best way to approach chroming is to approach it like other dangers — an ongoing conversation over time,” Choi advised, adding that parents should educate their kids on the risks of inhalants.
“It can permanently screw up your brain, heart and other organs. Some kids have even died the first time,” Choi continued, noting that parents should reaffirm their love for their kids during these conversations to make them “feel safe and supported.”
