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Nitrous oxide

Also known as laughing gas or happy gas

Key points about nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is combined with oxygen for pain relief during certain medical or dental procedures.
Nitrous oxide is also called Entonox, Nitronox, laughing gas or happy gas.
It belongs to a group of medicines called inhalation anaesthetics.

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Nitrous oxide is combined with oxygen and used in children and adults for pain relief during certain medical or dental procedures. It's also called laughing gas or happy gas. You will still be awake but won't feel so much pain during the procedure.

Nitrous oxide belongs to a group of medicines called inhalation anaesthetics.

Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and is given through a mask that's attached to a gas cylinder. The gas only comes through the mask when you breathe in.
You'll hear the gas hissing as you breathe it in.
Any extra gas that you don't breathe in is sucked back into another part of the machine.
At the end of the procedure you may be given some oxygen through a different mask for a few minutes to help ‘flush’ the nitrous oxide out of your lungs.

When you breathe in the nitrous oxide, you'll feel drowsy within a couple of minutes. The gas will be available until the end of the procedure and it will wear off quickly when the gas is stopped. This means you can quickly get back to usual activities.

Nitrous oxide is also used as a propellant to make whipped cream. It's sold in small canisters which are available in some catering supply stores; they can also be bought online.

Unfortunately nitrous oxide cannisters are misused for recreational use to get 'a high'. It's referred to as nangs, whip-its, chargers, bulbs, Nos or laughing gas.

Users release nitrous oxide canister into a balloon and inhale it for a short-lived high. It’s common to see used balloons and empty canisters lying on the ground at events , eg, music festivals.

There are many safety concerns about the misuse of nitrous oxide, and it's misuse has been linked to deaths.

Safety concerns include the following:

Falling over and hurting yourself after becoming temporarily lightheaded or dizzy.
Burning yourself (nose, lips, throat) from the cold gas when opening a canister.
Long-term use of large amounts of NOS can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause nerve damage and neurological issues.
If it's inhaled straight from the canister, it's released at a very high pressure, which can put a user at risk of a frostbite-type burn.