An 11-year-old boy from the United Kingdom reportedly suffered cardiac arrest and died while attempting a TikTok challenge called “chroming.”

“‘Chroming’ is a general term to describe the inhalation of volatile substances/solvents as recreational drugs,” The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne says.

“The term ‘chroming’ came from the sniffing of chrome-based paint, but now more broadly refers to the inhalation of volatile substances as recreational drugs,” the hospital adds.

A wide range of volatile solvents intended for household or industrial use are inhaled:

  • petroleum products (petrol, kerosene)
  • toluene (paint thinners, model glue, spray paint, permanent markers)
  • acetone (nail polish remover)
  • butane (hairspray, deodorants, lighter fluid)

According to the New York Post, the boy’s family “wants the social media company shut down and all others barred from children under 16.”

From the New York Post:

Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington suffered a suspected cardiac arrest at a friend’s house in Lancaster on Saturday, according to the Times of London.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

“He died instantly after a sleepover at a friend’s house. The boys had tried the TikTok craze ‘chroming,’” said the boy’s grandmother, Tina Burns.

“Tommie-Lee went into cardiac arrest immediately and died right there and then. The hospital did everything to try and bring him back but nothing worked. He was gone.”

“He had a heart of gold just like his dad. Our family is utterly devastated,” she added.

Chroming involves inhaling the fumes from common household items like aerosol cans, nail polish remover, paint solvents and cleaning products to get high, while teens film the process and results to post online.

The Blaze noted:

Chroming is sometimes known as “huffing.”

The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, cautions that chroming can cause hallucinations, impulsive behavior, depression, slurred speech, lack of coordination, headaches, dizziness, brain dysfunction, seizures, palpitations, shortness of breath, and even sudden death.

Forbes reported, “684,000. That’s how many adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 huffed or inhaled toxic chemicals in 2015, according to a 2017 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. A total of 1.8 million people 12 years and older performed the practice that same year, though inhalant use typically decreases with age.”

Following the tragedy, the grieving grandmother said social media companies need to “do more,” and added, “We don’t want any other children to follow TikTok or be on social media.”

 

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