A 12-year-old boy died after inhaling deodorant whilst participating in the dangerous social media craze known as Chroming, an inquest has heard, prompting demands for tougher regulations on aerosol products and online content.
Oliver Gorman was found unresponsive by his mother at their home in Hyde, Tameside, Greater Manchester, on 5th May this year, less than an hour after the family returned from holiday. The Year 7 pupil was rushed to hospital but tragically never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 7.31pm.
An inquest at South Manchester Coroner’s Court heard a post-mortem examination concluded Oliver died from butane inhalation, a deadly practice increasingly linked to viral social media challenges where young people film themselves inhaling aerosol fumes.
Oliver’s heartbroken mother, Clare Gillespie, told the hearing how her son had gone to his bedroom because he felt tired following their return from a family holiday to Wales. When she went to check on him less than an hour later, he would not wake up. Multiple deodorant cans were discovered in his room, including Aldi own-brand aerosols.
Paying tribute to her son, Clare described Oliver as a sweet, lovely family boy with a really calming aura about him. However, she revealed the youngster had been struggling at secondary school and had kind of gone into himself in recent months.
The inquest heard Oliver had spoken to his older brother about name calling at Denton Community Academy, though the school found no concrete evidence of bullying allegations when they investigated following his death. The family had made the decision before their Welsh holiday that Oliver would no longer attend the school.
Detective Inspector Ian Parker told the court that officers had been unable to access Oliver’s phone but gathered some evidence from an Oculus virtual reality headset. He said his impression was that the alleged bullying involved very harsh words based on physicality and how Oliver looked.
Donald Cumming, Principal of Denton Community Academy, told the inquest the school would have been able to act immediately if there had been evidence of bullying. He stated their enquiries after Oliver’s death showed nothing to suggest anything untoward had occurred.
The hearing examined the dangerous practice of Chroming, also known as Huffing, which has gained traction on social media platforms where users abuse aerosols and broadcast their actions. Det Insp Parker revealed he had been made aware of the trend on TikTok, where people demonstrate the practice and broadcast it to their followers.
Butane inhalation can trigger fatal cardiac complications, making the challenge potentially lethal even on first attempt. Medical experts have repeatedly warned that the practice can cause sudden death through heart failure, asphyxiation or organ damage.
Oliver’s family were unaware whether he had been on TikTok or knew about Chroming before his death. Clare told the inquest she had no idea if her son did it to escape his troubles, adding that the uncertainty caused her immense pain.
The grieving mother said she did not believe Oliver intended to take his life, stating she did not think he had the nerve to do that and believed something had gone terribly wrong. She acknowledged the complexity of assigning blame, saying she could not solely blame a bully or TikTok for what happened.
Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman recorded a conclusion of misadventure, determining there was no evidence to suggest Oliver inhaled the aerosol with the intention of ending his life. The coroner said he believes Chroming originates from TikTok challenges and described the influence of social media as quite frightening.
Coroner Bridgman announced he would be writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report calling for stronger warning labels on deodorant bottles. He stated his intention to contact the British Aerosol Manufacturing Association and the Business Secretary with concerns about increasing the minimum age for purchasing potentially lethal aerosol sprays.
The coroner also confirmed he will write to the Culture Secretary regarding his fears that life-threatening challenges remain easily accessible on social media platforms, raising questions about the duty of care these companies owe to young users.
Oliver’s family have launched Oliver’s Awareness, a campaign focused on highlighting the dangers of aerosols, bullying and cyberbullying. The initiative aims to prevent other families experiencing similar tragedies by educating parents and children about the lethal risks of aerosol abuse.
Speaking after the inquest, Clare revealed the shocking speed of events, explaining Oliver had just 20 minutes in his bedroom before he was gone. She admitted she did not know aerosol inhalation could kill, especially that quickly, and urged parents not to buy such products.
The tragedy has reignited debates about social media regulation and the responsibility of platforms to protect young users from dangerous content. Critics argue that TikTok and similar services have failed to adequately moderate challenges that encourage life-threatening behaviour.
TikTok has faced mounting pressure from parents, campaigners and politicians to implement stronger safeguards against viral challenges that put children at risk. The platform has previously stated it removes content that promotes dangerous activities, though enforcement remains inconsistent.
The case highlights growing concerns about the intersection of social media influence, mental health struggles and access to household products that can be weaponised through online trends. Experts warn that young people often fail to comprehend the lethal consequences of viral challenges until it is too late.
Aerosol abuse has claimed numerous young lives in recent years, with inhalants representing one of the few substances more readily available to children than to adults. The products sit unrestricted on supermarket shelves despite their potential for catastrophic misuse.
Public health officials have long warned about volatile substance abuse amongst teenagers, though the social media element has accelerated the spread of dangerous practices and normalised behaviour that previous generations might have avoided.
The British Aerosol Manufacturing Association will now face questions about whether current warning labels adequately communicate risks to young people and whether additional safeguards should be implemented at the point of sale.
Government ministers must also consider whether legislative changes are needed to restrict children’s access to aerosols or impose greater obligations on social media companies to identify and remove harmful content before it spreads.
As Oliver’s family continue their campaign work, they hope his death will serve as a wake-up call to parents, schools, retailers and technology companies about the hidden dangers lurking in everyday products and online spaces where children spend increasing amounts of time.
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