Latest Thing Parents Have to Worry About: Chroming

Chroming, aka huffing, isn't a new phenomenon, but the practice—which involves inhaling hydrocarbons to get high, often via common household items like nail polish, permanent markers, and paint thinner—is reemerging, thanks partly to social media. Medical experts, in turn, are getting concerned. "People have been inhaling fumes for centuries," pediatrician Dr. Betty Choi tells CNN, noting that this type of inhalant abuse reached its peak in the '90s. "But in recent years, experimentation rates among teens have risen again."

• Effects: In the short term, those who huff may experience euphoria, but also a feeling of lightheadedness, clumsiness, slurred speech, or a lack of inhibition. More serious consequences include nausea or vomiting, drowsiness, breathing issues, seizures, or cardiac problems, per Dr. Anthony Pizon, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. In some cases, use can prove fatal—even on the first try.

• Habitual users: Those who huff over the long haul could see further repercussions, such as ulcers, nosebleeds, paranoia and other mood changes, kidney and liver problems, heart and brain damage, and mental health issues, among others—not to mention addiction to huffing itself, creating a vicious circle.
• The numbers: In 2022, about 554,000 young people in the US between the ages of 12 and 17 used inhalants, per stats from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Last year, that number inched up to 564,000. There isn't reliable data on how many kids die from huffing each year.

• Social media: New research from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that online platforms are helping to reinvigorate the longtime practice. "A lot of kids are unfortunately exposing themselves to it largely due to its appeal on TikTok," Pizon says, per CBS News.
• Prevention: Parents should keep an eye out for physical signs, such as constant nosebleeds, sores on or near the mouth or nose, poor school performance, or lack of interest in activities. Should a child faint, hallucinate, seem confused, or have a seizure, that could be a sign of a chroming OD and parents should call 911 or a poison control center ASAP.

(More chroming stories.)