A 12-year-old boy died after huffing aerosol deodorant near Te Awa Mall in Waikato on Saturday, according to the coroner's report.
Police received a call about the sudden death around 6:50pm on Saturday.
The incident report says the boy was at a bus stop on Tasman Rd, where he and friends were reportedly getting high.
He apparently collapsed while crossing the road.
"The child ingested an inhalant believed to be a Dove deodorant can," police said in a statement.
Despite the efforts of members of the public and ambulance staff, resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
“There are no suspicious circumstances,” the police spokesperson said.
Huffing trend in Waikato
This incident sheds light on the concerning trend of deodorant huffing among young people in Waikato.
Earlier this year, Sam Sheikh, the owner of a Hamilton laundromat, reported a group of about a dozen young individuals loitering in his shop and huffing deodorant.
He captured hours of CCTV footage showing the youths inhaling the deodorant cans, often using fabric or backpack linings to separate the fragrance from the butane propellant, which they then inhaled.
Sheikh says they often became disoriented, fainted, spat blood, and even ventured into hazardous areas behind the high-voltage industrial washing machines
A 13-year-old south-Australian girl lost her life after huffing deodorant with friends in April.
Moments after inhaling the substance, she went into cardiac arrest and spent more than a week in hospital before dying.
Toxic efects
Inhaling deodorant fumes disrupts oxygen exchange in the lungs, leading to deprivation in the body's tissues and organs.
This can result in dizziness, disorientation, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness.
The chemicals can also have toxic effects on the central nervous system, interfering with brain function and leading to neurological symptoms such as confusion, seizures, and even coma.
In some cases, the chemicals can cause cardiac arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, which can be life-threatening.
