Chroming fears after 12-year-old boy collapsed in Hibiscus Shoppingtown, Leanyer
An everyday item is believed to be the cause of a young boy collapsing in a popular Territory shopping centre. See why police and health officials are concerned.
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A danger hidden among the shopping shelves has once again sparked concern among police, health workers and children’s advocates alike.
NT Police have confirmed a serious custody incident which left a 12-year-old boy in a critical condition in early December, was a chroming incident.
Chroming, also known as huffing, sniffing or rexing, is a form of volatile substance abuse where people inhale fumes from deodorants or other aerosols for a cheap, legal and quick high.
NT Police said they were called to Hibiscus Shoppingtown, Leanyer at 4pm Monday December 5 following reports of a disturbance.
Detective acting Superintendent John Ginnane said officers were told the 12-year-old was using the dangerous inhalants.
“A young person was identified using a volatile substance and ran from police, and had a medical episode,” Superintendent Ginnane said.
The Crime Division was investigating the incident.
Health experts have previously warned that chasing someone chroming can cause Sudden Sniffing Death.
“Immediately after inhaling, the user can experience arrhythmia, the irregular muscle contraction of the heart,” the NT Health website said.
The Australian Indigenous Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre said this meant it was “important not to chase or frighten someone who is using inhalants”.
Superintendent Ginnane said while chroming was linked to stealing, criminal offending and erratic behaviour, the police’s main concern was their health.
“Police have the power to detain someone who they believe is or about to be using such a substance,” he said.
“They have the power to search that person and they have the power to seize any of that substance.
“(But) our primary role in that environment is to take that person to a place of safety, and a 90 per cent of the time that places a hospital.”
Superintendent Ginnane said while chroming rates among young people were not increasing, it was becoming “more noticeable”.
NT Health said there were often flare-ups of chroming among children, but confirmed there had not been an increase in hospital presentations or referrals to external treatment providers.
“We see occasional hot spots, where groups of young people will inhale volatile substances together for a short time,” a spokesman said.
He said there were community and child safety teams in Casuarina and Palmerston had plans in place to address “hot spots”, including working with retailers and youth organisations to restrict supply and redirect kids to services.
He said similar multi-agency teams existed across most of the Northern Territory.
But acting Children’s Commissioner Nicole Hucks said treatment programs were limited despite the problem being “well known and concerning”.
“Currently in the Northern Territory programs are limited for children with volatile substance abuse concerns to access assistance, and admission to these programs is on a voluntary basis,” Ms Hucks said.
“Greater education and treatment programs are needed to deter and reduce harm to children at vital stages of brain development.”
An Own Initiative Investigation by her office estimated almost one in five children under 13 in youth detention had volatile substance abuse concerns.
The Office of the Children’s Commissioner annual report said a survey of 27 young children found 37 per cent presented with alcohol and other drugs concerns, while 18 per cent had volatile substance abuse concerns.
The audit found all the children had multiple reports sent to Territory Families before they ended up in detention, with a total of 691 harm notifications across the 27 kids.
NT Health said the immediate risks of volatile substance abuse included psychosis or hypoxia, burns, suffocation, arrhythmia, or cardiac arrest.
While chronic use can cause organ damage, respiratory problems and ongoing psychological or cognitive concerns.
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Originally published as Chroming fears after 12-year-old boy collapsed in Hibiscus Shoppingtown, Leanyer
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