London, March 7: An 11-year-old boy in UK, Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, tragically died after participating in a dangerous activity known as ‘chroming’, according to his family. Chroming, also referred to as huffing or sniffing, involves inhaling toxic chemicals such as those found in paint, solvents, aerosol cans, cleaning products, or petrol.

According to a report in Mirror, Tommie-Lee suffered a suspected cardiac arrest and died instantly after attempting the stunt while at a friend’s house. His grandmother, Tina Burns, has since urged TikTok and other social media platforms to take more measures to protect children from such dangerous activities. UK: 89-Year-Old Man Dies of Overdose of Vitamin D Supplements That Did Not Warn About Risks of Excessive Intake.

A spokesperson for TikTok stated that there was no evidence of chroming being a specific challenge or trending on their platform. The abuse of inhalants can lead to a short-term ‘high’ but can also result in severe health issues such as slurred speech, dizziness, hallucinations, nausea, disorientation, and even heart attacks or suffocation. Death Due to Cosmetic Surgery: British Woman Dies Days After 'Brazilian Bum-Lift' Surgery in Turkey.

Tommie-Lee was found unresponsive at a friend’s house on Greenset Close in Lancaster, Lancashire, on March 2. Despite efforts by paramedics, he could not be saved. Lancashire Police have described his death as currently “unexplained”.

Tina, along with Tommie-Lee’s mother Sherri, have been vocal about raising awareness of the potential dangers of TikTok and other social media platforms for young users. They are advocating for stricter age restrictions on these platforms, suggesting that no children under 16 years of age should be allowed access.

In a Facebook post, Sherri urged parents to hide all deodorants from their children to prevent them from participating in such challenges. A Go Fund Me page has been set up in memory of Tommie-Lee to assist with funeral costs, and the family has expressed gratitude for the support they have received.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2024 11:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).