In recent years, there has been a growing trend for middle and high school students to seek alternative ways to get high that are considered “safe.” One such way is the “passing out game” or the “choking game,” but these methods are anything but safe.

The premise is that you can cut off the oxygen supply to the brain to achieve a type of “high.” Though the so-called game is new to many adults, it’s likely something that children have been doing for a long time, said Connecticut-based child psychologist Dr. Lawrence Shapiro, author of “The Secret Language of Children: How to Understand What Your Kids are Really Saying.”

“That’s scary,” Shapiro said.

In addition to talking to kids about drugs and alcohol, parents should discuss other risky behavior, like the pass-out game, Shapiro said.

“Younger kids don’t know that they can die from this, that it’s a very dangerous activity,” Shapiro said.

Nathan Hoiosen, a school resource officer with the Nampa Police Department, said youngsters think the choking game offers a safe buzz compared with drinking or doing drugs.

After the death of several children in the state of Montana, the passing out game has gotten national attention. In several Upper Valley communities, the issue is being taken serious. If you as a guidance counselor are not familiar with this practice, we recommend that you learn as much as you can. Although it is a practice prevalant among middle school students, high school and college students also practice the dangerous method of getting high.

?This is so serious and it genuine it’s happening here in our county and in our area. And having been the one to bury Dalton on that Monday, I just decided that I was not going to do that again. That I didn’t want to do that again is to bury another young person that had died because of this choking game,? said Rich Laux, Pastor of Ashton Christian Fellowship Church.