Nitrous oxide is legal, cheap, easily available – and triggers feelings of happiness when inhaled. Gas is becoming increasingly popular as an intoxicant among young people. The CDU is now calling for a sales ban in the Bundestag. How laughing gas works and what makes consumption dangerous.
Between the flashing lights, stag parties, and tourists, there is a new sight in St. Pauli in Hamburg: young people inhaling the contents of black balloons. They are filled with laughing gas. Consumption is simple and cheap: you fill a balloon with gas from a cartridge and breathe in the gas from the balloon. The effect sets in within seconds and users feel relaxed and euphoric. The gas is particularly popular with young people. Mild hallucinations, highs, intense feelings of happiness, and fits of giggles – this is how users describe the feeling. A few minutes later, it’s all over. A seemingly harmless high. The cartridges containing the gas come in various flavors, such as strawberry. They are sold at kiosks or in vending machines – completely legally. But the consumption of laughing gas as an intoxicant can pose serious health risks.
Nitrous oxide is becoming increasingly popular among young people as a supposedly harmless kick at school stoves or parties, but this is prompting calls for consequences from politicians, parents and experts. The CDU is calling for a ban on the sale of nitrous oxide cartridges to minors in the Bundestag, as the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” reports. The Lower Saxony Medical Association is also calling for a ban on sales for people under 18 years of age. Parents from Gifhorn in Lower Saxony have written an incendiary letter to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach because there, in addition to cookies and rubber toys, nitrous oxide cartridges are being sold in a snack machine near a school, as the “NDR” reported. In Wuppertal, a broad coalition of parties in the council campaigned for nitrous oxide to be anchored as an intoxicant in the Youth Protection Act and sent a resolution to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, as the “WDR” reported. In the Netherlands, the possession and sale of nitrous oxide has been banned since January 2023. Is the high from the cartridge really that dangerous?
What is laughing gas?
Nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas. The gas is colorless and has a sweet smell. It is used widely: in dentistry as a pain and anxiety-relieving medication, as a foaming agent in cream dispenser capsules, as a propellant in spray cans or in car tuning to temporarily increase engine performance.
Since when has laughing gas been a popular drug?
Abusing nitrous oxide for a short-term high is nothing new. Nitrous oxide has been inhaled for almost 250 years to provide a brief feeling of euphoria, relaxation, calm and detachment, reports the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). But since 2010, the EMCDDA has seen an increase in nitrous oxide consumption. “We are in the middle of the third wave of the laughing gas hype,” the Observatory said in a statement.
How widespread is the consumption of laughing gas among young people in Germany?
It is not known how many young people in Germany inhale laughing gas for the legal high. There is no representative data for the population throughout Germany. An online survey by over 280 addiction experts shows that nitrous oxide consumption seems to be more of an issue in the west and north of the Republic.
Data from Frankfurt am Main provides further evidence. According to a study, the consumption of laughing gas among young people is higher than ever. 17 percent of young people in Frankfurt have already consumed laughing gas, according to the Mosyd drug study (Monitoring System Drug Trends) for the 2022 reporting year. An increase has been observed since 2016 (with the exception of the first year of the pandemic). For the study, around 1,500 students between the ages of 15 and 18 were surveyed by the Center for Drug Research at Goethe University Frankfurt.
How does laughing gas work?
When inhaled through the mouth or nose, laughing gas has a narcotic effect after just a few seconds. Hallucinations and feelings of happiness can occur. The gas enters the lungs. It easily penetrates the cells of the nervous system. In the central nervous system, there are docking points for the neurotransmitter glutamate. These are blocked by laughing gas. The inhibition of the neurotransmitter leads to changes in perception. Pain signals are also interrupted. Consumption also leads to a lack of oxygen, which can increase feelings of dizziness, lightheadedness or disorientation.
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What are the immediate dangers of consumption?
“Something that only works for a short time cannot be that harmful – that is the misconception of many nitrous oxide users,” said Marc Pestotnik, a consultant at the Berlin Department of Addiction Prevention, to the health insurance company “Barmer”.
During consumption, the lack of oxygen in the blood can lead to unconsciousness, cardiovascular failure and brain damage. Even if the high wears off quickly, dizziness, vertigo or headaches can last up to 30 minutes. Frostbite can also occur if the gas comes into direct contact with the mouth or lips. The gas is cryogenic, i.e. very cold (-55 degrees). If the gas is consumed together with other drugs such as alcohol or cannabis, this can lead to young people underestimating how much nitrous oxide they have already inhaled, reports the EMCDDA.
“Deaths related to nitrous oxide are rare. Most cases involve accidental suffocation when using a mask or plastic bag over the head without adequate oxygen supply,” reports the EMCDDA.
Can you become addicted to laughing gas?
Consuming nitrous oxide does not lead to physical dependence. However, psychological dependency can occur. Users want to experience the feeling of happiness that comes from consuming laughing gas again and again.
What are further consequences?
Alicia Haar, therapeutic director at the addiction clinic in Kronsberg, reported to “Spektrum” about nitrous oxide excesses in which young people consume 100 or even 200 balloons with nitrous oxide in a row. With such excesses or with regular consumption, the gas can have a toxic effect on the nerves. Nitrous oxide disrupts the metabolism of vitamin B12 in the body and prevents the formation of methionine, an amino acid needed to build nerve sheaths. This leads to nerve damage and even damage to the spinal cord. Those affected may complain of strange feelings in their legs. It often starts with tingling in the hands, arms, feet and legs. If further damage occurs, numbness and muscle weakness may occur, the EMCDDA informs.
With increasing doses, psychoses can also be a consequence.
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Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
