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Nitrous oxide—often known as laughing gasoline or nangs—is reasonable, extensively out there and widespread amongst younger individuals.
But it usually flies underneath the radar in public well being applications and training settings. For instance, it is not included within the drug training curriculum in Australian faculties.
In our new examine, we spoke to younger individuals (aged 18 to 25) who’ve used nitrous oxide. We discovered they have been unaware of its dangers—even once they reported signs akin to “brain fog” and seizures.
What’s nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide is usually used for sedation and ache reduction in dentistry and childbirth.
The gasoline, which has no shade or taste, can also be used recreationally and is called nangs, nos, whippits and balloons.
In truth, nitrous oxide has been used to get intoxicated since its creation in 1722, and wasn’t utilized in surgical procedure till 1842. It may well create a sense of dissociation from the physique, modifications in notion and euphoria. This lasts about one minute.
In Australia, nitrous oxide is reasonable and accessible. It is because the gasoline can also be utilized in baking, for instance to whip cream.
So, whereas it is not authorized to promote nitrous oxide for leisure use, the canisters or “bulbs” are extensively out there on-line by way of 24-hour supply companies.
Individuals often discharge the gasoline right into a balloon or a whipped cream dispenser after which inhale. Nitrous oxide is extremely chilly—minus 40 levels Celsius.
How frequent is it?
We nonetheless do not have a lot information about who makes use of nitrous oxide and the way usually. In comparison with different medication, there may be minimal analysis on its leisure use.
Nevertheless researchers imagine it’s turning into extra frequent globally, particularly amongst younger individuals.
For instance, in 2022, nitrous oxide was the second-most used managed substance amongst 16–24-year-olds in the UK after hashish.
In January 2023, the Netherlands banned the sale and possession of nitrous oxide after 1,800 highway accidents, together with 63 deadly crashes, have been linked to the drug in a three-year interval.
The International Drug Survey reported a doubling in nitrous oxide use between 2015 and 2021, from 10% of respondents to twenty%. However this voluntary survey will not be consultant of all individuals who use medication. Whereas it is a sign of individuals’s nitrous oxide use, the image stays patchy.
What are the well being dangers?
Nitrous oxide will not be probably the most dangerous drug individuals can use, however that does not make it secure.
Inhaling nitrous oxide has short-term well being dangers, together with:
chilly burns from the gasoline
accidents from falling over
nausea and dizziness.
Utilizing lots of nitrous oxide at one time can lead to passing out (from lack of oxygen) and seizures. Calling an ambulance is important if this occurs.
Longer-term well being issues might embrace:
vitamin B12 loss (inflicting numbness of arms and toes and ultimately paralysis)
urinary incontinence
strokes
reminiscence loss
psychological well being situations, together with despair and psychosis.
The supply of a lot bigger canisters (together with flavored varieties) can also be linked to a rise in vital harms. These can ship roughly 70 instances the quantity of nitrous oxide as conventional small canisters.
Bigger bulbs permit individuals to eat extra of the gasoline at one time and so they usually expertise well being issues extra shortly consequently.
Nevertheless, there may be nonetheless restricted data about nitrous oxide within the well being system. This implies its well being dangers are sometimes compounded as a result of it’s neglected by these assessing medical situations and since individuals deny utilizing it.
Our analysis
Throughout the first stage of our 2025 Australian examine, we interviewed seven younger individuals (aged 18 to 25) who had used nitrous oxide at the very least ten instances.
Whereas the variety of interviewees was small, the tales they advised have been very comparable.
They have been both unaware of, or unconcerned about, the drug’s potential dangers. That is regardless of their very own experiences of psychological and bodily issues.
They reported turning into unconscious, getting burns from the gasoline on their arms and faces, sores across the mouth and even having seizures.
Of specific concern to us was use earlier than driving as a result of individuals didn’t acknowledge the lingering results of the gasoline on focus.
Our examine contributors additionally spoke about “memory zaps” or “brain fog.” Common use of nitrous oxide affected individuals’s potential to take part in work and examine, with some saying it was additionally dangerous for his or her psychological well being.
These pondering issues are a regarding aspect impact. But it is one which has not been adequately investigated.
The position of social media
Movies of younger individuals utilizing nitrous oxide can simply be discovered on social media. This not solely factors to its reputation however suggests social media might be place to succeed in younger individuals with details about the drug and hurt discount.
Within the second stage of our analysis, we labored with 30 younger individuals who used nitrous oxide to co-create harm-reduction assets.
As a bunch, we developed movies, images and textual content for our nitrous oxide-specific social media accounts on Tik Tok and Instagram and for posts on varied subreddits.
These describe methods to make use of the drug extra safely. For instance, the “take a breath” messaging suggests respiration the nitrous oxide in for under ten seconds at a time to make sure sufficient oxygen. “Take a seat” advises sitting down whereas utilizing nangs, to keep away from accidents from falling.
Extra data:
Hannah Walter et al, Exploring the experiences and perceptions of younger individuals’s leisure nitrous oxide use, Advances in Twin Analysis (2025). DOI: 10.1108/ADD-07-2024-0012
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