What is 'chroming'? Parents desperate to raise awareness after 13-year-old daughter dies

The parents of the teenage girl who tragically died from huffing toxic chemicals are desperate to raise awareness of the dangerous trend.

On March 31, a 13-year-old girl named Esra Haynes took part in the viral trend called "chroming" - which is a harmful and sometimes even fatal mania, particularly among young kids - where chemicals in aerosol cans are inhaled for a temporary high.

The Year 8 student ended up losing her life after inhaling gas from an aerosol deodorant can, causing her to go into cardiac arrest. She sustained irremediable brain damage after the incident, which occurred at a friend's sleepover, according to News.com.au.

The young girl's parents, Paul and Andrea, have been left heartbroken by the shocking death of their daughter and are using their platform to spread awareness about Esra's death.

The grieving parents appeared on A Current Affair and told host Ally Langdon that prior to the terrible incident, their daughter was just hanging out with her friends, adding that they weren't worried about her because it "wasn’t anything out of the ordinary".

"To get this phone call at that time of night, [it] was one of the calls no parent ever wants to have to receive and we unfortunately got that call: 'Come and get your daughter,'" Paul said. "We’ve got the pictures in our mind which will never be erased, you know, of what we were confronted with."

Paramedics arrived at the scene and worked to revive the "beautiful" Esra before she eventually was rushed to the hospital in an unresponsive state and placed on life support. About eight days later, doctors broke the unfortunate news to her family, revealing that the teen's brain "was damaged beyond repair," so they had to choose whether to turn off the machines.

"They’re asking us to bring family [and] friends to say goodbye to our 13-year-old daughter," Paul told host Ally Langdon during the interview. "It was a very, very difficult thing to do to such a young soul."

The parents are now calling for more action regarding the viral trend so that other families won't experience the same devastating loss. They want schools to teach young kids CPR and refresh first aid skills every two years, and for aerosol manufacturers to change deodorant formulas so they are safer.

Paul also stated that there should be more awareness about chroming on social media - which he believes is how his daughter learned about the subject - so that they can "lockdown on the loopholes" that children slip through to get access to "adult content".

So, what is chroming?

According to The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, chroming is basically a general term given to the inhalation of toxic substances recreationally. These toxic chemicals can come from a range of various sources - including aerosol cans, paint, permanent markers, nail polish remover, hairspray, deodorants, lighter fluid, glue, cleaning products, nitrous oxide, or petrol.

The methods used include huffing, which includes putting the chemicals on a cloth and holding it over the mouth and nose to inhale; bagging involves inhaling the substances from a bag; sniffing or snorting directly from the container; and spraying the chemicals directly into the nose or mouth.

One of the most well-known methods is huffing nitrous oxide - which is most typically referred to as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is usually sold in single-use canisters, which are then disseminated into balloons and inhaled, but in certain countries, it can be prohibited to use recreationally.

While some people look like a temporary high - such as a feeling of euphoria and floating that is over in a matter of seconds, per the Alcohol And Drug Foundation - the side effects one experiences can be equally as dangerous as harder drugs.

What are the effects of chroming?

The Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research explained that the side effects of chroming can include, nausea, dizziness, slurred speech, vomiting, and disorientation.

While these are often short-lived, the viral craze can also result in more life-threatening complications - such as cardiac arrest, suffocation, coma, seizures, and even choking.

The report also detailed that long-term abuse of these inhalants can lead to cognitive decline.

Who is most at risk?

Per American Addiction Centers, chroming is the most popular among Gen Z - which comprises people born between 1996 and 2010 - as well as groups of people who cannot afford other drugs.

Notable figures like Jackass' Steve-O have spoken out about participating in inhaling, with the 49-year-old telling the New York Times in 2021 that he had once been addicted and was worried about its popularity across social media.

"It's definitely more, like, relevant now," he told the publication, stating that he'd seen several public figures experimenting with nitrous oxide on Instagram.

Furthermore, parents have been told to be careful of the viral section on TikTok called "WhipTok" which focus on chroming.

Featured image credit: MichalPuchala / Getty