P2.A009: Chroming Crisis: An Analysis of Chroming Related Content on TikTok

Background: “Chroming”, also known as “huffing”, is the act of inhaling toxic fumes from household items such as nail polish remover, permanent markers, and/or aerosol deodorant. Chroming typically produces a short euphoric state which creates a high potential for repeated usage and addiction. Inhalant abuse can lead to dizziness, brain damage, and even death. While chroming isn't a new activity for adolescents, it has resurged with the help of social media apps. TikTok is one such social media platform with children aged 10-19 as its largest user demographic. This study examines chroming-related content on TikTok in order to educate pediatricians on teen usage.

Methods: The top TikTok videos labeled with #huffing and #chroming were analyzed (n=400). The following data was collected: 1) perceived creator gender; 2) video creator age; 3) meme information; 4) item used; 5) repeated usage. Creator age and repeated usage was either self-reported, or estimated by the coders. A meme was defined as any post that emulates a circulating audio or visual format trend. Descriptive analysis was conducted in R.

Results: A total of 109 videos (25,705,679 views) met inclusion criteria. The age range of video creators were 39% (n=43) minors, 26% (n=28) college aged, 22% (n=24) young adults, and 13% (n=14) anonymous. 50% (n=54) of creators had a perceived gender of female, while 31% (n=31) were male and 19% (n=21) were anonymous. Markers (31%, n=34) were the most common chroming item, followed by air duster (17%, n=19), nail polish (12%, n=13), paint thinner (11%, n=12), gasoline (n=12), spray deodorant (n=12), and hair spray (6%, n=7) (Table 1). Of the 109 videos, 70% (n=77) were memes; common memes included the phrase “in X years when the [chroming item] catches up to me” (n=17), and a towel and deodorant visual (n=10) (Table 1). Fifty-two percent (n=57) of videos referenced repeated usage or addiction.

Conclusion: Our findings underscore the urgent need for increased moderation efforts from social media platforms like TikTok to stop the dissemination of chroming content. A concerning amount of video creators were minors, highlighting the vulnerability of children engaging in harmful behaviors. Chroming items are often common household items, making them readily accessible and cheap, with a high potential for addiction and severe health consequences. Further, the high prevalence of chroming memes perpetuates its normalization among youth, which may lead individuals to view chroming as a "safer" and socially acceptable alternative to traditional drugs. Thus, there is a strong need for pediatricians to discuss the dangers of chroming with caregivers and patients.