For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas — and lately, that’s in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
Those products are the Atlanta-based company’s whipped cream chargers that are solely intended for culinary uses, including cold brew coffees, desserts, sauces and more. A whipped cream charger is a nitrous oxide-filled, stainless-steel cartridge that, upon dispensing, helps cream and other ingredients transform into a whipped state, according to the company. But without a food ingredient in the canister, dispensing the charger emits just the nitrous oxide.
Nitrous oxide misuse — or “doing whippets,” as older adults may call it — isn’t new, said Dr. Gail Saltz, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College at Cornell University and associate attending psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
But the practice has been “rapidly rising” throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, according to a March 2018 study. There is also an uptick in the number of young people abusing laughing gas: Among people ages 16 to 24 in Britain — where possession is now illegal — nitrous oxide use was second only to cannabis in 2020. And spikes in use in the Netherlands have been linked to a rising number of young people arriving at the hospital with neurological complaints.
The teen years are often a period of a heightened combination of curiosity, peer pressure, the desire to experiment or do things considered unacceptable, the wish to be included, mood problems and other stressors teens may seek escape from, Saltz said.
“All those things can motivate a teen toward trying a substance that makes them high,” she added. And “the route toward exposure of course is vastly expanded because of social media.”
TikTok, for one, now attempts to prohibit users from viewing any content that would result from searching “Galaxy Gas” on its platform by directing users to helplines and resources on the effects of substance misuse. But videos that circumvent censorship by omitting certain letters of the tag have millions of views. (It’s worth noting that some social media videos tagged “Galaxy Gas” depict nitrous oxide products from other brands.)
And while the products themselves aren’t nefarious, the availability of different flavors can be appealing to kids, Saltz said.
The unlawful misuse of nitrous oxide products poses serious health hazards, said a Galaxy Gas spokesperson in a statement.
“Galaxy Gas products are for responsible culinary use only, and we are deeply concerned about the recent news reports and social media posts of individuals illegally misusing our products,” the company spokesperson added. As a result, Galaxy Gas has paused all sales of its whipped cream chargers at this time.
“Both our terms of use and conditions of sale strictly prohibit unlawful use, misuse or appeal to children,” the spokesperson said. “If you or someone you know is misusing a nitrous oxide product, please call or text the Crisis Lifeline at 988 for assistance connecting with substance abuse resources.”
Here’s what parents should know about the risks, the signs that indicate your child is using such products, and how to talk to them about substance misuse and social media trends.
The original purpose of nitrous oxide is for use in medical settings, such as relaxing patients for dental procedures, Saltz said.
In that context, “it’s usually administered as a combination of oxygen with nitrous oxide, not pure nitrous oxide, and regulated under a setting,” Saltz said. “It’s administered in a slow form … so it’s not obliterating the oxygen supply you would otherwise get. And it’s also not a rush of it.”
But inhaling quick blasts of pure nitrous oxide essentially replaces your oxygen intake, which can lead to loss of consciousness, heart attack, feeling ill, loss of coordination, headaches, nausea, vomiting and seizures, Saltz said. Other risks include brain damage, anemia, nerve damage, paralysis, vitamin B12 deficiency and nitrous oxide dependency.
Nitrous oxide misuse can also be fatal, and how much exposure is required for that consequence depends on the amount and the individual.
Educating your kids about substance misuse
Given the risks, it’s important that guardians have ongoing and open conversations with kids about the misuse of nitrous oxide and substances in general, Saltz said.
“Most parents just think their kid doesn’t know or won’t discover, because that’s their wish,” Saltz added. “But really, by the time a kid is a tween, there is every possibility that they are being exposed to all of this and do know, and somebody around them is partaking. So it’s just naive to think, ‘If I don’t say anything, they won’t know about it and stumble upon it.’”
Talking with them before the tween years, rather than waiting until late high school — which is common — is best and won’t encourage them to misuse substances, Saltz said.
Always start with questions instead of a lecture that may cause kids to tune you out, she said. Those can include: Have you heard about this? What do you know, think and feel about it? What are you seeing on social media about this? Are any of your friends doing this?
The conversation should be mutually participatory, but you should share your concerns and answers to those same questions, Saltz said. Remind them that the videos they see of teens having fun while misusing laughing gas together are just one piece of the puzzle — they don’t show the harm these activities sometimes cause, and just because those effects don’t happen to everyone, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen for them. Encourage your child to come to you before they try something they see online.
Be clear that you are always available to talk or answer questions, and that if they or their friends ever get into a concerning situation, you will always help first and ask questions later, Saltz said.
Signs your kid is misusing nitrous oxide can include empty canisters in their room, fits of laughter, inexplicably and bizarrely euphoric mood, not knowing where money has gone and hanging out with kids exhibiting similar issues, Saltz said. Other potential indicators include a decline in academic or athletic performance, or an unusual preference to be alone.
If your kid innocuously asks if the family can buy a whipped cream charger, or you find yours is missing, those are warning signs, too.
“If you think your child is regularly using anything,” she added, “taking them to a (mental health) professional is a good idea — somebody who has experience in substance use or abuse, because just asking your child to stop may not be possible.”