The Consequences of Laughing Gas Aren’t so Funny

Since Joseph Priestley first isolated nitrous oxide in 1792, people have been using the gas recreationally. It is ingested through the lungs via an inflated balloon, which has also been widely referred to as a Whippit. The fact that dentists routinely use nitrous – or "laughing gas," as it is commonly referred to – gives users the illusion of safety, but even medically supervised use of N2O can be dangerous in some people, particularly those with epilepsy or cardiac problems. The drug can cause seizures and heart arrhythmias, and sometimes even respiratory or cardiac arrest, even in a monitored clinical setting.

As dangerous as the drug is, the demand of N2O is following the supply. In the year before the pandemic – the most recent year data are available – it was found that almost one in every 10 teenagers reported using N2O. That’s more than had used cocaine, ecstasy, and ketamine.

The Appeal

Why would teens choose to abuse N2O? It’s legal, cheap, easily available, and undetectable on standard drug screens. Its effects are immediate, but once the inhalation stops, there’s only a brief recovery time, with no “hangover.” You can get a quick high and then get on with your homework.

But when teens decide to abuse nitrous oxide, they can experience more than just a brief high. One common consequence is frostbite of the mouth and nose, as N2O must be kept extremely cold to remain a gas. This is especially likely if inhalation occurs in a small, enclosed space. Abusers suffer from memory loss, tinnitus, incontinence, and neuropathy in the extremities. Repeated use of N2O can lead to depletion of vitamin B12, which can result in permanent nerve damage. In some cases, abuse of nitrous oxide leads to death from asphyxiation. This is especially likely if your teen is using or abusing other drugs as well.

An Unlikely Source

Where do teens get nitrous oxide? Practically anywhere. N2O is commonly used in the food industry for fresh-made whipped cream and other aerated recipe components. Along with the whipped cream canisters for dispensing, the nitrous cartridges that power them are readily available on Amazon for roughly $1.00 each, and are delivered straight to your door. In short, nitrous is popular because it’s legal, cheap, and easily available.

Teens and parents alike need to know about the dangers of N2O. The quick high users might get isn't worth the consequences they open themselves to.