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7th March 2024
03:51pm GMT
For the most part, TikTok is all about dancing and jumping on trends, which, on paper, seems pretty harmless.
Sadly, every now and again, trends can turn dangerous, putting users at risk of injury and even fatalities in extreme cases.
An 11-year-old boy who took part in TikTok’s ‘chroming challenge’ trend tragically lost his life over the weekend.
Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington’s family confirmed the heartbreaking news on Saturday, sharing that their loved one had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest after participating in the ‘challenge’.
The young boy was found unresponsive by paramedics at a friend’s home at around midnight on Saturday and was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
‘Chroming’ refers to the act of sniffing chrome-based paint.
However, it’s now a broader term used to describe the deliberate inhalation of toxic chemicals such as solvents, aerosol cans, paint and glue and is also known as ‘huffing’ or ‘sniffing’, according to the National Retail Association.
The inhalation of these chemicals affects the central nervous system, resulting in a short-term ‘high’ as the brain slows down.
It can also cause slurred hallucinations, nausea, speech, disorientation, dizziness, and/or vomiting.
‘Chroming’ can also have much more dire consequences such as heart attack, seizures, suffocation, or a coma.
His heartbroken grandmother, Tina Burns, has spoken out in the wake of her grandson’s death, sharing that he died immediately after ‘chroming’ and that the hospital tried everything to bring Tommie back.
She has also called for new regulations to be brought in for social media
“In fact, we want to get TikTok taken down and no children to be allowed on any social media under 16 years of age,” Tina told the Lancashire Post.
“This is breaking us all but we want to help save other children’s lives and give families awareness to keep their children safe.”
