Rising numbers: Trend among Gen Z and Alpha alarms: “Chroming” puts young people at serious risk

According to CNN, Generation Z and Generation Alpha in the US always inhale premium products such as permanent markers, deodorants, nail polish and metallic polish. This practice is known as “chroming.”

Dr. Anthony Pizon, professor of emergency medicine, tells CNN: “Anxiety, depression and other mood problems are increasing in young people.” This is often a reason for the misuse of inhalants. The spread of such content on social media platforms such as TikTok is reinforcing the trend.

“Chroming” can “lead to death”

“People have been breathing in fumes for centuries,” said pediatrician Dr. Betty Choi. CNN claims that teenagers may experience symptoms such as euphoria, lightheadedness, nausea or heart problems. In the long term, there is a risk of brain and heart damage as well as psychological disorders. According to Choi, sometimes “a single session can result in death.”

Experts advise parents to store products such as deodorants or varnishes safely. “The best way to deal with chromate is like any other hazard—talk about it all the time,” recommends Choi. Parents should approach their children with empathy and open questions in order to address and prevent the issue. If you have signs of addiction, you should seek professional help.

Gen Z mother warns about tablet addiction in children

Not only nail polish and deodorant can trigger an addiction in Generation Alpha, tablets also pose a potential danger. Brittany Nolte (25) reports on TikTok about the difficulties with her four-year-old son and his addiction to the iPad. Her son was born during the coronavirus peak and developed a quest for the device. Attempts to reduce screen time result in violent temper tantrums from the child. “Now that he is four years old, the game is driving him crazy,” said his mother.

A study from the University of Sherbrooke in Canada confirmed Nolte’s experiences. It shows that Indian preschoolers who use tablets experience outbursts of anger and frustration. Daily mobile device usage time among children has increased from five minutes in 2020 to 55 minutes in 2022, leading to less interaction with parents and other children and affecting children’s emotion regulation.

Parents of 315 children reported that tablet use at age 3.5 led to more temper tantrums a year later. However, the study was conducted during the pandemic and did not take content quality into account.