Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is a gas that has been safely used as a mild anesthetic in combination with oxygen for over a century.
It is classified as a "dissociative anaesthetic."
Nitrous is legally available for over-the-counter sale, although in many states it is illegal to sell nitrous to a minor. Some states also have laws against inhaling nitrous for intoxication purposes.
Nitrous is most commonly sold in small canisters for use in making whipped cream ("whippits"), although it can also be purchased in large tanks.
How is nitrous oxide used?
Nitrous is always inhaled.
Users either inhale the gas directly from a tank or else dispense it first into balloons.
What are the effects of nitrous oxide?
A lungful of nitrous oxide results in the temporary loss of motor control and a "dissociative" psychological effect, where sensations and perceptions become disconnected.
Users report a dreamy mental state, and may experience mild audio and visual hallucinations.
The effects come on immediately and usually last less than a minute. Repeated inhalations of nitrous can extend and intensify the experience.
Be careful
Nitrous produces an immediate loss of motor control. Stay seated if you are going to inhale nitrous. There have been many injuries and a few deaths from people who have fallen down after inhaling nitrous.
Your brain needs oxygen! Brain damage and suffocation can result from inhaling pure nitrous for an extended period of time.
Nitrous can be extremely cold when it comes out of the tank. Cold gas can burn the skin as well as the lips and throat. Dispensing the gas into a balloon and allowing it to warm up before inhaling it can reduce this risk.
High pressure levels in the tank can shoot the gas out at a dangerously fast speed and damage the lungs. Again, it is safer to inhale from a balloon than from a tank.
Nitrous can be psychologically addictive. While rare, many people have become addicted to nitrous and other dissociatives.
The regular use of nitrous can cause long-lasting numbness in the extremities and other neurological problems.
