Giggle Gas

There is a new drug craze sweeping the dance nightclubs of Great Britain. It’s unlike other new nightlife drugs of bygone years, because well, it’s not new, and it’s not exactly illegal.

Nitrous oxide—laughing gas—has, in the past year, become the new recreational drug of choice for many club-goers. For £2.50 ($4.42), they can buy a balloon filled with the gas that made you fall in love with your dentist (or at least made a trip to the dentist bearable). For about two minutes the youngsters are catapulted into a fit of the giggles, afflicted with distorted vision and hearing, and sway with dizziness. Some users also report that it can act as a mild aphrodisiac. These are the desired effects. This is the product that vendors are selling.

If it works. Many nitrous consumers are reporting that the drug has no effect on them. And the ones who do get the desired buzz are complaining that it’s a little pricey for the two-minute rush. Yet still, lines are continuing to form at the nitrous vendors’ booths, as many remain eager to giggle for a while.

But while nitrous oxide is generally considered to be a relatively low-risk drug, there are some potentially serious side effects. Typically, too much N2O can result in nausea, paranoia and hallucinations. If misused, it can lead to collapsed lungs, and in some cases, people with pre-existing heart conditions have been known to suffer from heart failure after using the drug. Long-term usage has been known to lead to neurological damage, resulting in short-term paralysis. It can also lead to various forms of vascular disease.

The recreational use of nitrous oxide is currently legal in Great Britain, but its distribution is supposed to be regulated by the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. A spokesperson for the Agency told England’s “The Independent” that the “sale of nitrous oxide for medicinal use is strictly regulated and anyone selling the drug for recreational use, whether or not they have a license, faces prosecution.” Distribution of nitrous is regulated under the Medicines Act.

In the United States, most states have laws against possessing nitrous oxide with the intent to use it for recreational purposes. In California, for example, it is a misdemeanor to possess or consume N2O with the intent of “causing a condition of intoxication, elation, euphoria, dizziness, stupefaction, or dulling of the senses.” Most states have similar laws on the books.

Oh—and before you pop the trunk of your hooptie and take a hit from your low-low’s nitrous booster—you should rethink that, Einstein. Auto-grade nitrous oxide is formulated MUCH differently than the medical-grade variety. The nitrous in your trunk is mixed with hydrogen sulfide—the gas that smells like rotting eggs, and can cause permanent damage to lung tissue and nerve endings.

By most accounts, England’s latest fad offers too little bang for your buck, and it offers it at too great a risk.

-From Pulse
January 19, 2006