The phenomenon “chroming”, the dangerous trend in which toxic fumes are inhaled from everyday household items for a quick feeling of euphoria, is growing alarmingly among young people. The platform TikTok has contributed to this trend, according to new research, and every parent should be on guard. The findings were presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in Orlando, where experts analyzed more than 100 videos about chroming on TikTok that they had collected 25 million views.
Keerthi Krishna, a researcher at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York, said the worrying aspect of chroming is that it uses common household items, which are easily accessible to teenagers. Because of the everyday nature of these items, parents and teachers have a hard time spotting this behavior, increasing the risk of repeated use and addiction.
Chroming, also known as “huffing”, produces a brief feeling of euphoria, which can lead to addiction and repeated use. Abusing inhalants can cause dizziness, brain damage or even death. While chroming is not a new phenomenon, it has re-emerged due to social media, with TikTok being one of the platforms contributing to its spread, as most of its users are between 10 and 19 years.
In analyzing the videos, the researchers looked at the gender, age of the creator, meme information, objects used, and repeated use. The most popular item for chroming was markers (31%)followed by air freshener spray (17%), nail polish (12%), paint thinner (11%), gasoline (11%), deodorant spray (11%) and nail polish (6%).
More than half of the videos referred to repeated use or addiction, and the humorous memes circulating on TikTok may normalize this practice, making it seem “safer” than traditional drugs.
The researchers stressed the need for parents and pediatricians to be aware of the dangers of this trend, while social media platforms must do more to prevent the spread of harmful content.
Source: www.digitallife.gr
