The intoxicant is mainly consumed by young people - the health consequences can even include nerve damage. But it is not harmless. Experts have long warned of the possible health consequences of its use. Available in the supermarket Laughing gas is a colourless gas from the group of nitrogen oxides. The chemical name is nitrous oxide N2O. In medicine, it is used as an anaesthetic by dentists or in obstetrics. In everyday life, it is used as a propellant in aerosol cans and in cartridges for spray cream - and is therefore readily available in many supermarkets and kiosks.
For some years now, laughing gas has also been on the rise as a party drug. In order to get high, users transfer the gas from the cartridges into balloons and inhale it. Risk of accidents and injuries The effect is immediate.
Because the high caused by laughing gas usually only lasts a few minutes, many people consume the drug several times in a row. Direct negative effects of consumption can include dizziness, headaches and fainting. It can also lead to impaired coordination, which increases the risk of falls and accidents. Because the gas is extremely cold at minus 55 degrees Celsius, users also risk injury: If it comes into direct contact with the skin or mucous membranes, frostbite to the mouth, lips, throat or vocal chords is to be expected.
Social media encourages consumption As laughing gas is legal and easy to obtain, the high is short and consumption cannot be proven, many people believe the drug is harmless. The gas is also celebrated on social media as a fun and cool party drug. It is usually consumed in combination with other intoxicants such as alcohol or cannabis, which can intensify the effect and make it more unpredictable. According to the Frankfurt study Monitoring System Drug Trends MoSyD , 14 per cent of year-old respondents have tried laughing gas at least once.
Numbness and muscle weakness Anyone who consumes laughing gas frequently and over a long period of time runs the risk of seriously damaging their nerves. The gas ensures that vitamin B12 cannot be broken down in the body. One possible effect of this is anaemia. Another consequence can be damage to the protective layer of the nerves.
