What Is Chroming? Life-Threatening TikTok Trend Alarms Parents

TikTok can be fun, provided you use it solely for entertainment. But with Gen Z and Gen Alpha taking TikTok trends seriously, some trends can be life-threatening and have claimed lives in the past. One such trend has emerged again, causing concern among parents and caregivers.

The new trend, called "Chroming," is going viral and has already claimed the life of 13-year-old Esra Haynes, an eighth grader from Australia’s Melbourne. On March 31, the teenager passed away due to chemical exposure during a sleepover with her friends during which she participated in the TikTok trend "Chroming," which involves “inhaling aerosol deodorant.”

What Is TikTok Trend Chroming 

After Esra Haynes participated in the dangerous trend, she suffered severe brain damage, which led to a cardiac arrest and resulted in her death. She fought for her life in the hospital for a week before succumbing to her injuries.

Her grieving parents are determined to warn others about the viral TikTok trend "Chroming." In an Australian TV show called “A Current Affair”, Esra’s father, Paul Haynes, said that she would have never done it if she had known the consequences.

Her mother, Andrea Haynes, added that the pain is immeasurable. “We’ve got no child to bring home,” she said, adding that the ripple effect of this is devastating.

Dangers Of Chroming

Chroming is an informal word originating from Australia referring to the dangerous practice of inhaling toxic fumes from sources like aerosol cans, deodorants, and paint containers. While the term “chroming” encompassed various substances, it initially referred to inhaling chrome-based paint to achieve a high.

Some of the toxic chemical substances used in Chroming are aerosol cans, solvents, permanent markers, paint, nail polish remover, deodorants, hairspray, cleaning supplies, lighter fluid, glue, gasoline, and nitrous oxide.

While the act of chroming might give the user a temporary high that is similar to alcohol intoxication, it poses life-threatening consequences, including heart attack, coma, choking, permanent organ damage, and fatal injuries. Prolonged use of chroming can also lead to permanent cognitive impairment.

Another 14-year-old girl named Sarah Mescall, who participated in the viral tiktok trend, passed away on September 25 after battling for her life in the hospital in Dublin for three days. Authorities are currently investigating her death.

TikTok has responded to Sarah Mescall’s death by stating that content of such nature is prohibited from the platform and will be removed if discovered. It also added that the platform is committed to protecting and supporting its community, collaborating with experts, and offering safety resources to those in need.

Dangerous TikTok Trends In 2023

In July, another challenge on TikTok called “75 Hard,” which required the participants to consume a gallon of water (four litres) daily for 75 consecutive days, led a Toronto-based real estate agent and mother, Michelle Fairburn, to be hospitalized. She was affected by water poisoning, a life-threatening condition caused by consuming excess water after religiously participating in the challenge for 12 days.

In April, a 13-year-old boy from Ohio tragically lost his life after consuming an excessive amount of over-the-counter medication while participating in a viral TikTok trend called “Benadryl Challenge.” The challenge requires participants to consume high doses of antihistamines to cause hallucinations. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the boy passed away after fighting for life for six days.

In January, a 12-year-old girl in Argentina passed away after participating in a TikTok trend called “Chocking Challenge.” The life-threatening trend asks participants to choke themselves until they pass out. The girl had failed to remove the rope from her neck in time and ended up losing her life. She was found hanging dead from a makeshift noose.

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