11-year-old British youngster dies after attempting risky TikTok trend

An 11-year-old boy in the UK passed away last week after taking part in a risky social media challenge that can be very bad for your health.

Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington had a heart problem on Saturday after doing something called “chroming” on TikTok, his family told the news.

Chroming or “huffing” is when someone breathes in the fumes from things like nail polish remover, hairspray, deodorant or markers.

Chroming is getting popular because of apps like TikTok, but it’s something that teens have been doing for a while. For instance, a report from the US said that around 684,000 young people sniffed chemicals in 2015.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) says that some chemical vapours and toxic fumes can make a person feel high when they breathe them in.

CAMH said that most of the things people inhale, like glue, gasoline, cleaning liquids and sprays, are meant for other uses, not for breathing in.

Inhalants are popular with teens because they are inexpensive, legal, and easy to find. CAMH said that these substances can be easily misused by children and young adults.

CAMH found that most people who use solvents and aerosols like this are between 10 and 16 years old.

The American Addiction Centers say that inhaling these substances can make you feel really good, but they can also make you feel dizzy, throw up, or even have heart and brain problems.

A research report in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research showed that using drugs or alcohol for a long time can cause memory problems, trouble focusing, and poor decision-making.

The UK boy’s death is the second one to be in the news in the last two years. In 2023, a 13-year-old boy from Australia named Esra Haynes passed away after breathing in chemicals from a deodorant can, according to a report from 7News.

Billington’s mom started a website to collect money for the funeral. They got over £4,000 (C$6,935) and let people leave their sympathies.

One person said that no parent should have to feel the sadness of losing a child.