Nitrous oxide gas, used for its dissociative effects that include slowing down the nervous system in humans, is now being misused by young people as a way to feel euphoria. This emerging trend is known as ‘Galaxy Gas,’ wherein people inhale nitrous oxide cartridges.
Nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, is found in the whipped cream chargers of the company called Galaxy Gas, based in Atlanta.These chargers are for culinary purposes, including cold brew coffees, desserts, sauces, and more. The charger is a nitrous oxide-filled, stainless steel cartridge which, upon dispensation, helps ingredients like cream turn into a whipped state. However, empty cartridges without food just emit nitrous oxide.
The misuse of nitrous oxide, or in popular terminology “doing whippets,” is not a new thing, but the misuse has recently become a famous trend across the USA and UK. The trend is being picked up by children between the ages of 16 to 24 especially. Late teens and young adulthood is a time when people are experimenting more. Not just that, peer pressure, various stress triggers, and the urge to fit in with the crowd push a lot of people into doing things that are considered unsafe.
The gas, along with oxygen, is often used in the medical field in a regulated manner to numb patients for certain procedures. However, if the gas is inhaled quickly without the additional oxygen, nitrous oxide will replace oxygen intake and lead to issues like loss of consciousness, heart attack, feeling ill, loss of coordination, vomiting, seizures, anemia, nerve damage, and vitamin B12 deficiency, among others.
The website of the company, Galaxy Gas, has put a disclaimer which reads as follows: “You understand that unlawful use is strictly prohibited and expressly agree to hold the retail seller, distributor, and/or manufacturer of this nitrous oxide product harmless for any injuries, damages, or claims arising from misuse of such products.”
Not just young people are being seen abusing the gas; there have been alleged rumors of celebrities like Kanye West (now Ye) using it for recreational purposes. Ye has neither confirmed nor denied any such use.
Social media platform TikTok has taken active efforts to stop the spread of this trend. It has banned users from searching terms like ‘whippets’ and ‘Galaxy Gas’ on its platform. If someone unaware tries to search for it, they are presented with an advisory message to deter them from getting involved in the misuse of laughing gas. But videos still spread as people omit certain letters from the words to escape censorship.
As of now, the sale and purchase of nitrous oxide is not illegal. Furthermore, ‘whippets’ are also neither controlled nor regulated by bodies like the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Controlled Substances Act.