An 11-year-old boy died after attempting the viral "chroming" TikTok challenge at a sleepover, leading to a suspected cardiac arrest. "Chroming" involves inhaling volatile substances as recreational drugs and has serious health risks, including suffocation and cardiac arrest. The boy's family is calling for stricter social media regulations and even suggested shutting down platforms like TikTok for users under 16 to prevent further tragedies. This incident has sparked concerns about social media safety, leading to discussions in the United States Senate about the need for stricter regulations through the Kids Online Safety Act.
A St. Louis County jury has awarded a $745 million verdict to the parents of a woman who was killed by a driver under the influence of Whip-It! nitrous oxide. The trial focused on whether the company distributing Whip-It! conspired with a local smoke shop to sell the product to customers who intended to illegally inhale it. The jury found the distributing company 70% liable, the smoke shop 20% liable, and the driver 10% liable. The verdict sends a message to the industry and may lead to reforms. The defendants have the right to appeal.
A 13-year-old Australian girl died after inhaling fumes from a deodorant can, a practice known as "chroming." The trend, which involves sniffing aerosol cans, metallic paints, gas, and solvents, has caused the deaths of two 16-year-old boys in 2019. The girl's family is urging action to prevent similar deaths, including teaching CPR in schools and lobbying for a safer and less toxic deodorant formula. Some stores in Australia have started locking aerosol deodorants behind a glass case in response to the trend.
Advocates are pushing for tighter federal restrictions on aerosol duster products containing difluoroethane, an inhalant that contributed to singer Aaron Carter's death. The nonprofit group Families United Against Inhalant Abuse has filed a petition asking for mandatory safety standards, including harsher labels and bitter additives to discourage inhalant abuse. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has questioned the effectiveness of these proposed changes. Adults represent the majority of inhalant abusers, but educating kids and parents about the dangers of inhalants could be effective in curbing substance abuse.
Singer and rapper Aaron Carter accidentally drowned in his bathtub due to a combination of sedatives and gas from inhalants, according to a coroner's report. The autopsy found alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, and difluoroethane, a gas used in air spray cleaners, in his system. Carter had a history of substance abuse and inhalant abuse, and had recently relapsed. He began performing as a child in the 1990s and had a successful career, including opening for his brother's boy band, the Backstreet Boys.
