It normalizes a dangerous trend.
A dangerous trend on TikTok is gaining momentum among teenagers – chroming. It involves inhaling common household items, like nail polish or markers, to get high.
Health reports.
While the term “chroming” may be new, inhaling common items to get a temporary hallucinogenic effect has long been popular among young people. “It's called gaffing, puffing, ragging, and bagging,” Bruce Ruck, PharmD, director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told the publication.
According to Rachel Kim, a researcher at Cohen Children's Northwell Health and co-author of a recent study that analyzed TikTok videos of chroming, the items kids choose are very accessible.
What is chroming
Chroming is the intentional use of legal products to inhale hydrocarbons and other volatile gases and vapors. The practice gets its name from the residue people get on their faces and hands after inhaling metallic paint.
“People who do this are looking for a high from these products,” said Hannah Geis, MD, chief of toxicology and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center.
According to Kim, chroming is “highly addictive.” Her study, presented at the 2024 National Conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, looked at 109 TikTok videos that referenced chroming and had more than 25 million views. Kim and colleagues found that in more than half of the videos, users repeatedly mentioned chroming or that they were addicted to chroming.
Many of the videos also appeared under the hashtag #WhipTok, a play on the word “whippets,” a product containing nitrous oxide that is inhaled recreationally.
Most teens in chroma key videos — 31 percent — used permanent markers, the study found. Meanwhile, 17 percent used air sprays, 12 percent inhaled nail polish, and 11 percent used paint thinner, gasoline, and spray deodorant. Hairspray was the inhaler of choice for 6 percent of TikTok users.
Whipped cream canisters are also a favorite chroma key. Cooking company Galaxy Gas recently stopped selling its canisters and added a warning to its website about the abuse of its products after learning that children were using candy-flavored nitrous oxide to chromize.
Why Chromizing Is So Dangerous
There are a number of potentially serious health effects. “Users may experience drowsiness, dizziness, slurred speech, and unsteadiness, leading to an increased risk of falls,” says Geis. Nausea and vomiting are also common, she adds. But chroming can also lead to more serious health problems, including abnormal heart rhythms and seizures.
“You can also stop breathing,” adds Bruce Ruck.
Chroming has been blamed for the death of an 11-year-old boy in the UK after he tried it during a sleepover as part of a social media challenge in March. Tommy-Lee Gracie Billington went into cardiac arrest and died quickly after intentionally inhaling the fumes.
“Unfortunately, kids can have serious consequences after a single chroming,” says Geis.
Why Kids Do It
While chroming isn't new, Kim says it's becoming increasingly popular thanks to social media. Her research found that 70% of posts about chroming are memes, “attracting a younger audience and perpetuating normalization.”
As a result, kids may believe that chroming is a safer alternative to traditional drugs, she added. Inhalants are also easy to find: “Unlike traditional drugs, which are inaccessible to teens, these products are generally sold everywhere.”
How to Reduce the Risk of Chroming
Because the items used for chroming are “so common and necessary, it's difficult to reduce the risks,” Kim said. “However, it may be helpful to keep these items out of the hands of small children.”
Rak recommends asking questions if you notice your child suddenly buying nail polish but not using it, having more than one can of compressed air for the computer, or having a “baking habit” when they don't actually cook anything in the kitchen. “Pay attention to things that change and things in the house that were there and then suddenly disappeared,” he said.
Rachel Kim also suggested monitoring social media use. “It's important that kids are educated and protected from the harmful effects of social media,” she said.
Gase believes parents should talk to their kids about chroming “openly and without judgment.”
“Teaching kids about the risks and setting clear expectations and boundaries is an effective strategy for preventing substance use,” she said. “By providing this structure, you can send a clear message that chroming is not acceptable.”
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