MANLIUS -- The Town of Manlius Police Department says children are participating in a dangerous activity called "The Choking Game." Investigators were first alerted to an online video of local children playing the "choking game." Police are not saying what school the children in the video are from. There is no investigation being conducted and no deaths have been reported.
Manlius Police have received reports that area teens are intentionally depriving themselves of oxygen and cutting off blood supply to the brain.
Teens are doing this to pass out or temporarily lose consciousness. Participants have described it as a 'high' that can be achieved without the use of drugs.
Police say the "game" is most often played within a group setting but, their have been reports of it being played individually. In some cases it has been taped and uploaded on Youtube and Facebook.
Young people who participate in choking themselves are at risk for short term memory loss, hemorrhaging the retina, stroke, permanent brain damage, coma and death.
Parents are encouraged to watch for warning signs such as: Unexplained marks or bruises on the neck, finding ropes or blood shot eyes.
