Dangers of Recreational Use of Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is an oxide of Nitrogen, usually used in medical settings. Recreational use of nitrous oxide can be very dangerous, as inhaling pure nitrous oxide can lead to hypoxia.
Laughing gas, Whip-it, or whippet, chemically known as nitrous oxide (N2O) is an oxide of nitrogen, which is usually found within medical settings. It is a colourless, non-flammable gas used in hospitals and dental clinics for the maintenance of anaesthesia and analgesia. Medically, it belongs to a group of drugs called inhalational anaesthetics or inhalants. Non-medically, it is used in whipped cream canisters, rocketry and in nitrous oxide engines in racing cars. Nitrous oxide, which is sometimes abbreviated as nitrous, is called laughing gas as it produces euphoria on inhalation.
Nitrous oxide with its slightly sweet taste and odour is occasionally used for recreation. Effects of nitrous oxide include dizziness, analgesia, hallucinations and sound distortion. The practice of using nitrous for recreational purposes began in 1799 in laughing gas parties. Today, nitrous is most likely inhaled or huffed by young people including teens, along with so many other abused inhalants. Recreational use of nitrous oxide is believed to be limited as only medical staff and dentists are allowed to buy this drug. Medically used nitrous is also safe to patients as it is mixed with oxygen. The combination of nitrous with oxygen ensures the availability of oxygen to prevent hypoxia, which would result if pure nitrous oxide were inhaled.
Recreational use of pure nitrous oxide is very dangerous, mainly due to the risk of hypoxia. Intentional inhalation of nitrous from whipped-creamed chargers or balloons limits the availability of sufficient oxygen to the brain (hypoxia). Hypoxia can damage the cells of the body, including brain cells. Brain damage or death could result if the user is continuously in a hypoxic state. Nitrous oxide also causes loss of sensation and motor control. Its abuse, therefore, can end up in injuries from falls, if it was inhaled while standing. In addition, vomiting caused by inhalation of nitrous can make the user choke to death if the vomit was aspirated.
Inhaling nitrous oxide has led to serious health consequences. The celebrity star Demi Moore, recently was alleged to have inhaled nitrous oxide (whip-it) which led to her hospitalization with seizure like symptoms. There have been reported cases involving the inhalation of nitrous and other inhalants that have caused suffocation, heart failure, choking on aspirated vomit and death. On a long-term basis, chronic use of nitrous leads to depletion of vitamin B12, which subsequently leads to a condition called megaloblastic anaemia. This condition has deleterious effects on the nervous system. Nitrous may not be as famous as other abused drugs but it is certainly a death-defying inhalant.
Liked it
girishpuri | Feb 1, 2012 | Reply
nice share
mdrkarim7 | Feb 1, 2012 | Reply
Good to learn about that..
avissado | Feb 2, 2012 | Reply
interesting post. thanks for the info
erwinkennythomas | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
most informative
aheed411 | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
This is useful
SharifaMcFarlane | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
It’s a dangerous gas. That’s why doctors stopped using it so much.
Safa | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
I agree, Sharifa. Thank you for reading and commenting on my article.
Safa | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
Thank you everyone, for the comments.
LCM Linda | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
I think this gas should only be allowed in medical use and under doctor’s instructions.
Sheri Fresonke Harper | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
Very wise warning!
Eunike | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
Great info
Safa | Feb 3, 2012 | Reply
Thank you all for your kind comments.
sheilanewton | Feb 4, 2012 | Reply
It is dangerous. But must let you into a little secret. When I was an innocent young student nurse working on theatres, we used to use it to cure our hangovers. Oh, my – when I think back!!!! CRINGE!!
Safa | Feb 4, 2012 | Reply
naughty naughty…Glad you’re here with us
realityspeaks | Feb 5, 2012 | Reply
Informative post.
Martin Kloess | Feb 5, 2012 | Reply
good article.
Dora77 | Feb 6, 2012 | Reply
Safa,this is an interesting article on Laughing Gas….Thanks for sharing here.
Dora
sanataryal | Feb 6, 2012 | Reply
Preety informative article about Nitrous oxide. Safa, you hit the point.
Nidhi Rai | Feb 7, 2012 | Reply
Thanks for the information.
Ixodoi | Feb 8, 2012 | Reply
Interesting. I didn’t know that.
zulfikar | Feb 8, 2012 | Reply
a serious matter. lack of oxygen to brain may cause stroke or even death. a big penalty for laughing this way. thanks for sharing.
Vinaya says good bye | Feb 8, 2012 | Reply
Well I did not know about these things. Thanks for sharing.
juliachild | Feb 9, 2012 | Reply
..Nice share…
Safa | Feb 9, 2012 | Reply
Thanks all of you who read and commented on this article.
Aroosa Gloomy | Feb 10, 2012 | Reply
Great share:)
marqjonz | Feb 12, 2012 | Reply
Good and through article.
marqjonz | Feb 12, 2012 | Reply
Good and thorough article.
meandu | Feb 15, 2012 | Reply
Well researched article. I was amazed to learn that using this recreationally was done.
reyfrion | Feb 18, 2012 | Reply
Nice article safa., thumbs up
Suni51 | Feb 18, 2012 | Reply
Great, Very informative, Thanks for sharing.
girishpuri | Feb 29, 2012 | Reply
revisit
dodolbete | Mar 20, 2012 | Reply
Whoa… I used to have my grandma’s (she’s got stroke but sick of hospital already, so we made a hospital room in our house) every time I’ve got asthma… glad I didn’t do that for too long…
Dhegen | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
I’ve seen all of your articles. it is full knowledge
yes me | Mar 26, 2012 | Reply
Cheers on this one too
Runna | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
Great Article, I am going to share this article with a few friends on facebook
Greg | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
All true, but another truth is that almost everyone who uses it as a recreational drug, does so casually and in great moderation. You don’t generally see people inhaling one breath of it after another without breathing real air in between. In order for any of the dangerous effects to take place, you have to do an obscene amount of the gas, and you have to do it in very rapid succession.
Yes, plenty of stupid kids do it that way. I’ve even seen people do this thing where they blow in and out of the balloon until they pass out. Those are the morons that this article is warning us about. The thing is, they are few and far between.
Source: I partied heavily in the 90’s. I’ve seen it all.
Safa | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
Thank you for the comment, Greg.
Jelly | Apr 6, 2012 | Reply
Nice one Greg….way to minimize the dangers. That one moron could be your child, so might be a good idea to put the fear of instant death in them just so they won’t become “careful” users!
mohitraj321 | Apr 21, 2012 | Reply
nice work
bagus69 | Apr 24, 2012 | Reply
Informative post.
mohitraj321 | Apr 25, 2012 | Reply
nice way
lauralu | Apr 25, 2012 | Reply
great info thanks Safa!
bagus69 | Apr 26, 2012 | Reply
here again…
girishpuri | Apr 27, 2012 | Reply
again here
Angelji | Apr 28, 2012 | Reply
a worthy reas ..
girishpuri | Apr 28, 2012 | Reply
again
mohitraj321 | Apr 28, 2012 | Reply
thanks for your hard work again