Fatal ‘Laughing Gas’ Poisonings Skyrocket As Recreational Use Spreads

Authored by George Citroner via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The last decade has seen a 578 percent rise in deaths due to nitrous oxide poisoning, a new research letter shows, revealing a sharp rise in U.S. fatalities linked to the gas—often called “laughing gas”—over the past 13 years.

The colorless, odorless gas is used recreationally as a euphoric and hallucinogenic drug.

The same drug used as anesthesia in dentists’ offices is now easily purchased by teenagers at corner stores and inhaled for a quick high—and it’s proving increasingly deadly.

“On the streets, the slang term for nitrous oxide is ‘whippits,’” Brian Townsend, a retired supervisory special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and not involved in the study, told The Epoch Times. “The gas comes from canisters, typically released into balloons before the user inhales it. This gives them a brief euphoric feeling or ‘high.’”

Fatalities have climbed from 23 in 2010 to 156 in 2023, with researchers linking the increase to the spread of whippits among American youth.

A Steep Increase

In the letter, recently published in JAMA, researchers examined death records from 2010 to 2023 using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database. The study focused on fatalities among Americans ages 15 to 74, where nitrous oxide poisoning was identified as the cause of death.

They found a mortality rate of 0.01 per 100,000 population in 2010, which climbed to 0.0622 per 100,000 by 2023.

While deaths showed a consistent upward trend, researchers noted a particularly sharp increase after 2016, when fatalities jumped from 120 to 149.

“At that continued rate, we could be looking at a much larger problem,” Andrew Yockey, University of Mississippi assistant professor of public health and author of the research letter, stated in a press release.

“We have evidence that nitrous oxide poisoning is a very real danger, but this is very often ignored or trivialized,” said letter co-author Rachel Hoopsick, assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois. “Sellers of nitrous oxide rarely, if ever, provide health warnings. I think the public sees it as a party drug.”

The findings also highlight a growing public health concern related to the misuse of nitrous oxide, with researchers emphasizing the importance of increased awareness and prevention strategies to reduce these preventable deaths—especially as recreational use appears to be rising.

Researchers also noted that young people were the most common users of nitrous oxide, with eighth graders making up a large portion of those misusing inhalants.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory warning consumers not to inhale nitrous oxide products, which are not federally controlled, due to the potential for severe adverse health events if used recreationally.

Flying Under the Radar

Nitrous oxide is readily sold in canisters from smoke shops.

Researchers and addiction specialists point to concerning marketing practices that may target young people. Nitrous oxide products come in flavored varieties with names like bubblegum and mango. “There is no age limit, and this is available online and in gas stations across the country,” Yockey stated in another press release.

Townsend said homeless people with substance use disorders often use nitrous oxide because it’s inexpensive and easy to get.

Nitrous oxide is one of those substances that “flies under the radar” because it seems harmless, said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, quadruple-board certified in pulmonary, sleep, internal, and critical care medicine and chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis.

“This study highlights a problem that’s quietly gotten worse over the years,” Dasgupta said.

Serious Health Risks

Recreational use can deprive the brain of oxygen, leading to short-term effects like dizziness or unconsciousness and long-term issues like nerve damage or even paralysis. “There’s also a serious risk of addiction and mental health decline when use becomes habitual,” said Sarah Grado, chief programs officer at notMYkid, a nonprofit dedicated to helping youth overcome addiction challenges.

It is unclear how nitrous oxide causes side effects, but inhaling large amounts of it can cause asphyxiation, and heavy use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency over time, which can cause nervous system issues like lasting nerve damage or difficulty walking.

Inhaling large amounts of the gas in a short period can cause nitrous oxide poisoning, Grado said.

Symptoms of nitrous oxide overdose include seizures, psychosis, rapid heartbeat, and tightness in the chest.

Prolonged inhalation of nitrous oxide recreationally can also lead to weakness in the limbs, problems with bowel and bladder control, and psychiatric problems such as dissociation, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and depression.

Recreational nitrous oxide is unregulated and used without medical supervision, said Jessica Tate, chief clinical officer at Milton Recovery Center. In medical settings, the drug is mixed with oxygen, but recreational users often inhale it in its pure form, making it far more potent and dangerous.

Social Media Influence

According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 13 million Americans have misused nitrous oxide in their lifetimes.

Social media exposure showing people using nitrous oxide is also driving increased use, according to Michele Bowers, clinical director and therapist at Sophros Recovery.

“Think back to big tobacco; they deliberately targeted young people with cartoons, fun flavors, and flashy colors,” Hoopsick said. “That is a parallel we’re seeing now with nitrous oxide.”

Bowers noted that many health care providers lack sufficient training to recognize nitrous oxide abuse and often do not screen for it.