No, Nitrous Does Not Deprive Your Brain of Oxygen

Nitrous oxide (often referred to as laughing gas, whippets, cartridges, hippy crack, N2O, or nangs) is a gas inhalant used medically and recreationally as an anesthetic agent. It is often believed that the effects of nitrous, which include euphoria, sound distortion, and minor to strong hallucinations, is caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain. This is a common misconception. Nitrous oxide on its own has low potency and many consider it an inert, benign gas that has little if any influence on vital physiologic functions (though this is not true when nitrous oxide is combined with other anesthetics, sedatives,...