CDC discusses “Choking Game” Study
February 14, 2008
OPERATOR: PC Media Relations, please go ahead.
MODERATOR: Good morning, today we will be providing an analysis of the findings from a study being
released today in our Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report or MMWR on “the choking game.”
With me today is the author of the study, Robin Toblin, Ph.D. That's Robin, R-O-B-I-N and Toblin, T-O-B-L-
I-N. We also have medical epidemiologist Len Paulozzi, M.D. That's Len, L-E-N, and Paulozzi, PA-U-L-O-Z-
Z-I. Both scientists are with CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Dr. Toblin will make a quick, short statement, and then we will open it up for questions. Dr. Toblin?
ROBIN TOBLIN, PH.D, MPH, LEAD AUTHOR, CDC NATIONAL CENTER FOR INJURY AND
PREVENTION CONTROL: Good morning, we're here today to discuss a dangerous activity called the
choking game that some youth are participating in and that other youth may be aware of or someday become
aware of. The choking game involves intentionally trying to choke one's self or someone else with one's hand
or a noose to obtain a brief euphoric state or “high.”
If the strangulation is prolonged, which is something that can happen very quickly, death or serious injury can
result. Today, I'll be talking about the results of a study designed to lend more insight into the potential number
of deaths among youth in the United States who have died playing the choking game.
For this study, we analyzed media reports of deaths attributed to the choking game. Media reports were used
because deaths from things like the choking game are not officially recorded or reported and they are also not
likely to be noted on death certificates as a cause of death.
We found that from 1995 through 2007, media reports indicated that at least 82 youth have died as a result of
this behavior. They ranged from six to 19 years of age, with the average age being 13-years-old. Eighty-seven
percent of these deaths were among boys.
The media reports also i