12-year-old British boy dies by inhalant abuse after TikTok challenge exposure

Summary

A 12-year-old British boy, Oliver Gorman, died after inhaling aerosol gas from Lynx and Aldi deodorants as part of a TikTok challenge known as “chroming” or “huffing.” The incident occurred on May 5 in his bedroom in Shrewsbury, England, after he returned from a family holiday to Wales. His mother, Clare Gillespie, testified at the inquest that Oliver had been feeling “low” and had turned to social media, where he encountered symbols linked to the challenge. Assistant coroner Andrew Bridgman ruled the death as misadventure and noted that warnings on aerosol products were inadequate and that under-16s could easily purchase the cans. The coroner also expressed concern about TikTok’s role in spreading dangerous challenges and said he would write to government officials about the issue. Oliver’s mother has since launched a campaign called Oliver's Awareness to raise awareness about the risks of solvent abuse, social media challenges, and bullying.