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Dusting Challenge: Dangerous TikTok trend of inhaling aerosol chemicals raises health alarms
The ‘Dusting Challenge’ is an ongoing TikTok trend that asks people to inhale gas from aerosol cans lying at home. Experts have warned of long-term consequences
TikTok has a new obsession- and it may just prove to be its most dangerous one yet. The ‘Dusting Challenge’ is an ongoing online trend that asks people to inhale gas from aerosol cans lying at home. Experts, however, warn that doing so could have disastrous long-term consequences, particularly for younger sections who are more prone to indulging in activities of this sort.
What are the dangers involved?
Aerosols are sprays, typically used for cleaning, that contain dangerous propellants and solvents in them. Examples include spray cans, deodorants, hair sprays, and vegetable oil among others.
As Dr. Rolando Larice, MD, Medical Director at Sana Lake Recovery told VICE, inhaling chemicals like difluoroethane present in these cans can lead to an initial psychoactive high but can cause substantial permanent damage to the brain, life, and kidneys as well. The initial high received by inhaling these substances can be a motivating factor for kids to grow a habit out of it.
“Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can cause heart irregularities and death. High concentrations of inhalants also can cause death from suffocation. This happens because inhaling concentrated chemicals prevents you from breathing in any oxygen,” says the official website of Nationwide Children’s Hospital based in Columbus, Ohio.
Prolonged use of these materials could also lead to substance abuse issues. Long-term or even risky one-time use of these substances can result in death as well.
Symptoms of being affected
According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, these are the early warning signs of inhalant abuse:
• Red or runny eyes or nose
• Slurred speech
• Stains on the body or clothing
• Sores or spots around the mouth or nose
• Chemical odor or some other abnormal odor on skin or clothes
• Drunk, dazed, or dizzy appearance
• Nausea and loss of appetite
• Anxiety, excitability, grouchiness, or depression
• Empty spray paint or solvent containers, especially if they have been hidden
How to seek help?
If parents ever find their kids in a compromising situation due to inhaling aerosols, the first step is to immediately remove their method of taking the substance from near vicinity to cut the effect. When the subject is unconscious, try doing emergency CPR and shift them to an open space. Contact 911 at the earliest to seek professional medical assistance.
“Make sure they know the harms of dusting and drugs. Help them learn how to say no, especially when the pressure is coming from social media,” adds Dr Larice. Once immediate relief is provided, consult a therapist for long-term effects.
