Deaths from laughing gas misuse are skyrocketing, despite growing warnings from health officials.
Researchers are uncovering the dangerous rise in recreational use of nitrous oxide, a substance once considered relatively harmless. With its colorful, candy-like packaging and widespread online availability, it’s becoming disturbingly easy for young people to get high off a gas that can cause paralysis, brain damage—or worse. Social media is adding fuel to the fire, and experts say unless regulation steps in, the problem could spiral fast.
Rising Deaths Linked to Laughing Gas Misuse
Deaths from nitrous oxide misuse are rising in the United States, even after a recent warning from the Food and Drug Administration about its dangers. Commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is often used as a sedative or anesthetic, but it’s increasingly being used recreationally.
Researchers Andrew Yockey, a public health assistant professor at the University of Mississippi, and Rachel Hoopsick, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois, are studying this troubling trend.
“This is a chemical that is commonly used as a sedative or anesthetic, but what we’re seeing is a rise in recreational use,” Yockey said. “But what we’re also seeing is also a rise in hospitalizations, in poisonings, and in deaths.”
Shocking Spike in Nitrous Oxide-Related Fatalities
According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 13 million Americans have misused nitrous oxide at some point in their lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that deaths from nitrous oxide poisoning rose by more than 110% between 2019 and 2023.
“The preliminary findings of our study are that deaths have remained fairly small compared to other dangerous substances,” Hoopsick said. “But what we’re seeing is that over the last couple of years, those rates have increased exponentially.
“At that continued rate, we could be looking at a much larger problem.”
A Deadly High: Long-Term Risks of Whippets
People have misused nitrous oxide – also called whippets – for decades to get a fleeting high, but the long-term effects of misusing the gas are potentially deadly. The FDA recently warned consumers that repeatedly inhaling it could lead to asphyxiation, blood clots, frostbite, numbness, paralysis, and brain damage, among many other side effects.
Unlike many misused substances, nitrous oxide is unregulated. An online search for it yields a plethora of results, with various flavors and all in bright, eye-catching colors.
Marketing Tactics Mimic Big Tobacco’s Playbook
“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.”
The gas is often marketed as a culinary ingredient to turn cream into whipped cream. The FDA warns that consumers can purchase nitrous oxide through online retail sites and many smoke and vape shops across the nation without issue.
“I really doubt anyone is buying flavored nitrous oxide to make blueberry mango whipped cream,” Yockey said, reading one of the flavors listed on Amazon. “Or ‘Bomb Pop.’ But I can have it delivered to my house in a couple of days.”
Lack of Warnings and Normalization of Abuse
Also similar to the tobacco industry’s tactics for pulling in consumers, nitrous oxide sellers minimize the potential danger of abusing the product, Hoopsick said.
“We have evidence that nitrous oxide poisoning is a very real danger, but this is very often ignored or trivialized,” she said. “Sellers of nitrous oxide rarely, if ever, provide health warnings. I think the public sees it as a party drug.”
Social Media Fuels Dangerous Trends
Hoopsick and Yockey are also investigating the role of social media in influencing young adults to use nitrous oxide. Videos of teens and young adults inhaling the chemical are easily found across social platforms.
“We know that if you watch videos of someone else doing it, you’re more likely to try it,” Yockey said. “I worry about the high school and college-aged adolescents who see this online and decide to buy a fruit-punch flavored tank. Because right now, that’s perfectly legal.”
Call for Regulation and Policy Action
More research is needed to track the full scope of nitrous oxide misuse, but regulation must also catch up to prevent further harm, the researchers said.
“Policy-level interventions are what is lacking at the moment,” Hoopsick said. “If we have some guardrails on who can sell this, who can buy it, and how it’s marketed, maybe we can get ahead of the problem.”
Until then, the availability of nitrous oxide continues to grow.
“Some of these brands were not here even a week ago,” Yockey said, scrolling through listings on his computer. With expedited delivery, any one of them could be on one’s doorstep by the end of the week.
“What they’re doing here is very ingenious, but it’s also incredibly dangerous,” he said.
Reference: “Addressing the unregulated use of nitrous oxide canisters” by R. Andrew Yockey, 29 March 2025, Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health.
DOI: 10.1016/j.glmedi.2025.100190
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48 Comments
Great, these younger generations are following suit of the glue eaters, whipped cream can huffers and gasoline sniffers. They have to be the kids of the tide pod and robotripping generations 🙄🤔 apples don’t fall far from the tree
Wow future leaders of America. I meant future losers of America. But wait, so since government went after vape companies due to their flavoring attracting kids and completely missed the part where it was the parents’ responsibility to actually parent and don’t punish the adults who actually use the products correctly, maybe officials will stop going after ejuice companies and flavored liquor brands while they’re at it, putting the blame where it belongs, the stupid parents who are beyond lazy and stupid, and just accept the issue for what it is. Better parenting. Would be best.
Be kind. Blanket parental blame is not the answer. If you are a parent you would know that even good parenting cannot always stop our young people to follow misguided friends. Some neurodivergent children, when they reach a certain age, just want to “fit in”. So good parents can try, and try, and try to speak to our children of dangers, show and read articles to our young ones but still we never can know if it is really heard or accepted.
Why don’t you take your comment and shove it. U obviously have never had an addiction or took care of someone that has an addiction. And nitrous is a whole different kind of monster. Even if you wind up in the ER (at least in the area where we live) they have no clue how to treat it. They never even heard OFF anyone abusing nitrous. And to say it’s the parents fault is pure stupidity. Im 26 years old and i had a pretty great life prior to my attending music festivals. I come from a great family who have done nothing but try to help me. I also had no idea how bad this stuff was until I was completely addicted. And it only took about a week to be dependent. A simple balloon filled with nitrous turned my life upside down. I will tell you this…there is no way to get off this stuff unless you get professional help. Rehabs don’t even know it’s a growing problem. Look up nitrous addiction in the UK. Maybe u will learn something. And next time, try educating yourself before you decide add your comments.
Every drug is different some are mentally addictive others are physically addicted I was addicted to fentanyl it’s the worst addiction I have ever had I did not out I just did it to stop the aches and pains in my body I’m in my late 50s it took me 27 days to get it out of my system it was the worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life it was 14 days of hell sneezing throwing up using the bathroom on myself jerking shaking I stayed up for about 8 Days couldn’t go to sleep oh it was horrible then I spent about 13 more days trying to adjust myself to physical activities trying to get back to work and had no energy I can walk about a half a block and I’d have to sit down the sun hurt my eyes so bad I had three pairs of shades on and I still had to squint finally I built my energy up my stamina up and started feeling back like myself please don’t judge people for what they do you never know why they got involved in what they get involved in everybody is not bad that’s an addict and please people if it’s not natural for your body don’t take it don’t breathe it Don’t snort it don’t ingest it any kind of way there’s always a choice I’m no big Christian guru but I talk to God hourly he’s my best friend and he has brought me through things and I hope y’all never go through so be patient with your addicted loved one they don’t really want to be in that life but they feel like they don’t have a choice you don’t feel it when you’re high I love all of y’all clean that are still using that are trying to help someone that is using it please not to try to comment on being an addict if you’ve never been one God bless you all we will get through it
A very good friend of mine did the “whippets” nitrous oxide there were 12 in a box & she would do anywhere from 8 to 12 boxes of those a day & she did those like that for around 2 yrs. like that everyday & now 9 yrs. later she has cancer under her tongue & in the back of her throat & she just had surgery & all of this because of this nitrous. She is going to be fine. She was honest with her Doctor & told her about doing those.
You do realize, Dee, that when you post a comment, you invite the most intelligent and well informed to castigate? Nitrous is-not- an addictive drug in either the clinical or psychological sense. I’ll lean a little on the psychology point. You might think you want it. But you’ll never be chemically dependent.
And the article itself is a sham. All terms are vague. Now; in the over a century of use in sedation, the hazards have been catalogued and fatality has been nonzero, but negligible. NO drug is perfectly safe. This is acceptable. It is clear to me that, just like the issue with kratom years ago, someone is manipulating public perception. All of the ‘dangers’ the FDA and DEA warned about were shown to be contrived. In reality, those two organizations are much more dangerous to your health than the things they regulate. They do their jobs via political motivation. Not your interests.
Hi Dennis. I would have to disagree that nitrous is not addictive. Have u looked up what’s going on in the UK? Ask those parents and family members if their loved one was addicted before they died. The answer will be yes. I don’t think you have educated yourself fully on it. I can tell you 100% that nitrous is addictive. The withdrawals are so severe and it’s impossible to get off the stuff without rehab. And even then, you crave it every single second..
I’m so sorry to hear this, I hope you take every day one step at a time. I had a family member (an adult, living and working on their own with awesome achievements and future) die from accidental asphyxiation from nitrous. Addiction is no joke at any age, and as easy as the high is to buy, it will be chased. Those that shame completely miss the point. It can happen to anyone.
Dear grieving family member..
I am so sorry for your loss. I am sorry you had to go through that experience. I know first hand how bad nitrous is. Sending you many hugs and a ton of strength..
By the way, my comment was for james gram
If only James Grams parents would have followed his advice. We’d be spared his inability to be humorous. To all parents out there, please do better with your children and save us from another James Grams.
Self medicating away the pressures of being an adult are not new.
What is also not new but is constantly changing is the image of attainable upward mobility and some sort of social standing.
Some people grow out of that and strive for a comfortable level of survivability. Until they get bored, of course.
What ever happened to personal choice and freedom to put whatever you want in your own body? Stop fear mongering about things you know nothing about and mind your business. You obviously never went to a grateful Dead concert 🙄
And how much alcohol do you consume on a weekly basis just saying
This “article” was ridiculous. They give very vague info, very vague numbers and very vague warnings. Also, who wouldn’t want to make blueberry mango whipped cream, sounds delicious!
You people and your scary words about “dangerous drugs”.
You embarrass me.
Please warn people on real dangers and stop trying to control people’s lives through scare tactics.
It’s 2025. Let’s move on from “drugs are bad”. Do your own research and be safe.
Knobs
Agreed. No mention of how it kills or the paralysis being caused by nitrous destroying your bodies vitamin B12 stores and causing nerve damage
Another good reason to know ones MTHFR status!!
Thank you
Whippets interfere with vitamin B12 and can lead to nerve demyelination. Can lose proprioception, get extremity numbness, and yes, brain damage.
Previously, most people would use it rarely or occasionally. We are now seeing people use them daily with the side effects i mentioned.
Not even going into asphyxiation and death.
Before you blow off what I’m saying here, do you think it’s healthy that your lips turn blue when using em?
Thank you I’m tired of seeing these kind of fear mongering articles. I would agree that staying away from the flavored tanks is properly a good idea. Still live and let live. Just don’t hold your breath too long 😂
This is old news. It’s no surprise that the tobacco model of marketing is evident with alcohol, marijuana and any other mood alerting substances. It is an effective and manipulative sales model that preys on ignorance, trends and the impressionable population at large.
Drugs with “bright, eye-catching colors and candy-like packaging” intended to lure your 4th grader to an early death are a fallacy. A quick internet search reveals the overwhelming majority of packaging is quite underwhelming and all the canisters themselves are tin foil grey.
Why not tell us how to use it responsibly then?
Hi Justin. There is no way to use it responsibly…
110% is not really exponential growth, it’s a doubling, roughly, over a four year period. I mean, you can get an exponent to do that, but it’s not what we mean by “exponential”. What was the starting number? How many people are suffering blood clots, brain damage etc.? What do they mean by “poisoning”? What kinds of dosing frequency leads to chronic symptoms?
I know that nitrous can be a problem with frequent use. It isn’t harmless. It does have a pretty decent safety profile though. I would like some more information before deciding to have hysterics.
Oh, please. Anyone anywhere dies and there’s call to regulate things. How about steps? Football? Bicycles?
As long as you know to breathe room air mixed in, and don’t overdo it you’re fine. I was, and I made it to 62. Now, I just drink a tasty industrial solvent known as alcohol. It was used to power rockets and remove stains but I drink it almost daily. Shut up about this stuff. Leave people alone
I know of no lasting damage that occurred to myself from personal use, though I’m no brain scientist. But, key word is occasional use. I’d agree, more study needed. It’s no worse than alcohol.
Eric sanders…ur giving out very dangerous advice
Good, thin the herd. All thisbis doing is cleaning the gene pool
Introducing another ahole. Everyone say hello to john hymbaugh… idiot
Wow. Some pretty ignorant comments above. No, the author doesn’t go into detail – he’s not an anesthesiologist. I have access to nitrous oxide every day, an option for my patients. But don’t use, & haven’t used it for years due to potential side effects. Don’t comment about something you know little about
LOL, I bet you patience are so happy about that.
What side effects would be pertinent to recreational use?
It’s pretty clear that restrictions on marketing are not going to have meaningful effects on usage. Asphyxia can be managed by instead mandating maximum nitros:oxygen mixtures for non-medical grade supplies would prevent that just like the linked oxygen flowmeter failsafe on anesthetic machines.
Harm reduction should be a clinician’s lens, and nitrous is far and away safer than most recreational options for the user, and given the quick reversal, especially safer for bystanders.
I’m rather disinclined to accept a dogmatic position against nitrous in clinical applications given it’s significant potential to reduce undesirable effects of other agents and (at least in the context of GAs) assist with controlling and improving the patient’s experience. Sure, there are negative effects (like all agents) but having a complete understanding of pulmonary mechanics let’s you mitigate them.
Have you met frequent abusers? They don’t come back or improve, not that I’ve ever seen.
They’re brain damaged, zombie like, or just very very dumb. Frequent use is not like getting a tooth pulled.
Can R. Andrew Yockey get a real job please? Thanks.
Yes. And… I would like to know:
“Deaths are up 10%! We must dooooo something!” Exactly what is the hard number in a nation of 330 MILLION people? The rest of us need to be regulated because of what? 1000 people? 10000 people? 472 people??
How about this novel idea, equally applicable to everyone: Don’t be dumb. Being dumb causes these hyperactive doooo-somethingers to sow panic and hysteria and more regulatory idiocy that all the rest of us have to pay for, in time and money.
How about this other novel idea: People who do dumb things should reap the consequences for their dumb behavior, rather than the rest of us shouldering the societal burden and cost.
And before anyone goes Full Karen… When I was young I behaved like a dummy, too. I paid for my stupidity and burdened others until I realized that *not doing dumb things* is a conscious choice. Now, I would like to share this absurdly obvious and healthy message, while encouraging others to not be dumb and find something productive to do– for yourself, your family, and others. “Sommmmebody must dooooooo sommmmmmething!” is entirely the wrong, and frankly destructive, answer.
It’s a free country… do as you please. But nobody has a right to expect the rest of us to clean up your messes. Certainly not productive tax paying citizens. Like the man said… get a real job.
In everyone’s heart of hearts… they know this to be true, so… don’t be dumb.
Also notice how a literal Karen left the most Karen-like comment imaginable. Such people really need to learn how remarkably little they have to contribute to any field, endeavor, or conversation.
Fear mongering. Never gives you the number of deaths.
What I could find was in England, from 2010 to 2020 56 deaths…
Basically one death per 100,000. In simple terms, statistically insignificant.
I feel bad for anyone that has a kid dealing with this. I actually lost someone to huffing me years back and it was horrible to watch and the pain of losing them was something I never forgot. I have worked in my professional career with people who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Plus I have dealt with family members from that same addiction group. Let me tell you huffing is a whole new demon so all those with the insensitive comments they can shove them up their ass and I hope that you never have to deal with this kind of pain of losing someone you love.
Fear Porn
My MOHS surgeon used nitrous oxide for a very deep BCC. I RECOMMEND it under a Dr. Usage. We had our own tubing.
I have a 48 year old female roommate who does nitrous from the time she wakes up until she gets to work and back on it after work until she goes to sleep.
While using it she can’t even begin a sentence or remember the subject of the conversation you have to fill in the words has she stutters and slurs her eyes rolling in the sockets.
She spends three hundred dollars a day on the large bottles we have a full size truck bed of empty bottles.
More regulations will NOT stop or even help. It will only make the product for those who use it legally to be more expensive.
I am in pipeline regulations, and no every time a new regulation is passed it causes the price of a product or service to go up.
Regulations never stop illegal use no matter what the product or service is. When a person chooses to do something illegal they’re not going to check the regulation first. My god look how hard it is in some places to buy Sudafed but yet did it curb then making of crystal meth? No. If you want to see the real problem just look at social media. They make something a trend and everybody does it. Hey look.. the new trend is jumping off a bridge and watch how many people are going to go jump off a bridge. Do we need regulations that say you’ve got to have a certain pass to drive across the bridge? I graduated in the ’80s and blue flame farts was a big thing. Maybe they need to pass some natural gas regulations about blue flaming farts, they probably would if this became a trend on social media. Once again you cannot fix stupid. When a child is given a phone as a toddler and that phone is their source of all information, entertainment and time consumption they believe that whatever that phone or screen shows is truth. No amount of regulation is going to change the input. We have an entire generation coming up that only knows screen time. Let’s just look at all the regulations they have done on cigarettes, alcohol, recreational drugs, and has it curbed the issue at all? Looking at statistics the answer is a flat out no.
Read a recent article about Nitrous Oxide being a good treatment for chronic depression, because it’s effect is long lasting. This was puzzling to them since NO is generally quickly eliminated from the body. They found It causes your body to create a long lasting chemical which inhibits feeling bad. It is not a rush or high effect.
I wonder if these are related? Mm
If true, natural selection at work…right??
I’m intrigued. Cite your source??
(APA format, please)