Recreational consumption of ‘laughing gas’ is a growing European concern

Recreational use of nitrous oxide is a growing concern in Europe because of the risks and harms associated with the gas, which is “easy to obtain, cheap and popular with young people,” the European Observatory said in a report.

The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) paper was published this Wednesday in Lisbon and presents case studies from Denmark, Ireland, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the UK and Portugal.

Portuguese specialists are already studying this phenomenon of consumption, and the police authorities are monitoring and seizing bottles and cylinders with this “laughing gas”, which is already listed on the Table of New Psychoactive Substances.

A report from the European Medicines Agency based in Lisbon explains that nitrous oxide has legitimate medical, industrial, commercial and scientific uses (for example, as a dietary supplement or an anesthetic in medicine) and that “its psychoactive effects include feelings of euphoria , relaxation and dissociation and have been known for over 200 years.”

However, he adds, the last decade has seen a significant increase in its consumption in various regions of the world, including in some European countries where this substance has become more affordable, especially since 2017-2018.

“The growing popularity of nitrous oxide can be explained to some extent by the ease of acquisition of the substance, its low price, short-term effect, and the general perception by consumers of a relatively safe drug,” the report says. .

According to the observatory, a key factor behind the increase in the consumption of “laughing gas” is the ubiquitous availability of small eight-gram canisters that can be used to inflate balloons from which it is inhaled.

These cartridges – commonly used as aerosol propellants for making whipped cream – are cheap and easy to get in places like convenience stores, supermarkets and online retailers.

The availability of large (15 kg) gas cylinders, intentionally intended for recreational consumption, is of particular importance as they make gas much cheaper and encourage wider, more intensive and more frequent consumption.

In some regions, the substance is also advertised and sold through social media, the document denounces.

The report notes that “a cost-effective nitrous oxide supply chain has evolved and expanded, with specialty online retailers directly promoting the gas for inhalation or food use.”

However, the consumption of this substance has “adverse health effects” and can cause poisoning, burns and damage to the nervous system.

According to the report, the increase in nitrous oxide consumption has led to “an increase in intoxications” which, “although in relatively small numbers compared to users, tend to be more intense or more frequent.”

The document shows a small but significant increase in poisoning cases reported to poison control centers in Europe.

For example, in Denmark, the number of cases of poisoning increased from 16 in 2015 to 73 in 2021, and in France, 134 cases were reported in 2020, a sharp increase from 10 cases reported in 2017. In the Netherlands, the number of cases poisoning increased from 13 in 2015 to 144 in 2020.

These poisonings include varying degrees of damage to the nervous system (neurotoxicity) associated with the irreversible deactivation of vitamin B12 in the body (an essential vitamin for healthy nerve function).

Other cases include severe frostbite (caused by exposure to cold gas released from a container) and lung damage, usually caused by oversized cylinders due to high pressure. In addition, in at least one country (the Netherlands) there has been a significant increase in nitrous oxide-related traffic accidents, the paper highlights.

However, the report emphasizes that “it is important to note that the vast majority of people either do not consume nitrous oxide or consume it very infrequently, in relatively small amounts.”

EMCDDA director Alexis Gusdel says that “the increase in nitrous oxide consumption in parts of Europe is a concern” and that “there is general agreement among consumers that inhaling nitrous oxide is safe.”

“It is only with more frequent or intense consumption that the risk of serious damage increases. Therefore, it is important to avoid normalizing and promoting its consumption in recreational contexts. Specific interventions and further research are needed to increase understanding of the risks and reduce damage. associated with this substance,” he emphasizes.

Alexis Gusdil states that addressing the problem requires “more careful monitoring” as understanding of consumption, risks and effective interventions is limited, in part because this form of substance use is relatively new.

“In this context, monitoring of nitrous oxide needs to be strengthened, which requires more research in areas such as epidemiology, pharmacology, toxicology, and the provision and effectiveness of treatment and response policies,” he defends.