Inhaling gasses and vapors in an attempt to get high has been a thing for decades. But there’s an inhalation trend called chroming that’s making the rounds on social media—and it’s been dubbed the new huffing.
Chroming is the subject of a new study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference, and it also reflects disturbing government data that show a rise in American teens using inhalants.
“We’ve seen hundreds of these cases over the last 15 years. It’s a really serious problem,” says Inderpal Randhawa, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist and medical director of the Children’s Pulmonary Institute at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach in Long Beach, California.
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- Inderpal Randhawa, MD, pediatric pulmonologist and medical director of the Children’s Pulmonary Institute at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach in Long Beach, California
But what is chroming, exactly, and why is it dangerous? Here’s what a doctor wants you to know.
Okay, so what is chroming?
Chroming is the act of inhaling toxic fumes from a range of household items. The name “chroming” comes from the look of the containers that usually hold the gasses people inhale, Dr. Randhawa says. “They’re usually hidden in these vials that look like chrome, whether it’s in a can or butane gas lighter—it has that chrome look,” he says.
The research found that teens are using certain products more than others to chrome, with permanent markers, air dusters, nail polish, paint thinner, gasoline, spray deodorant, and hair spray being the most commonly abused household products. Chroming creates a feeling “that’s similar to alcohol,” Dr. Randhawa says. “You feel lightheaded, woozy, and warm—and that’s what leads to the addictive quality,” he adds.
People on TikTok have reportedly been posting videos about chroming under the hashtag #WhipTok (which comes from “whippets,” a term used to describe inhaling substances), although the social media network is now trying to block these posts.
Health risks of chroming
Chroming can affect a range of areas of the body. “It can cause your lungs to develop pneumothorax, which is air that can develop between your rib cage and lungs—it can pop your lung,” Dr. Randhawa says. “That’s life-threatening.”
Chroming can also cause chronic lung disease if someone does it enough and even shrink the lungs, making it harder to breathe normally over time, Dr. Randhawa says.
It may even lead to brain damage and long-term brain injury, as well as issues with the heart and kidneys. “This has serious, long-term side effects,” he says.
How can parents protect their kids?
The best way to protect kids from chroming is to talk to them about it, as well as the dangers that can come with it, Dr. Randhawa says. Talk about which products contain these gasses and “let them know, very clearly, that this is not safe,” he says. “Many people think it’s as safe as inhaling helium from a balloon—it’s not.”
Talking to kids about this trend can help them understand how to react if they find themselves in a situation where others are chroming and they’re encouraged to join in.
If you’re concerned that your child may be chroming, Dr. Randhawa recommends looking for signs like your child needing to “recover” after spending time with friends or developing a chronic cough. “That’s one of the early signs that there is a problem,” he says.
