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Nitrous oxide whippets (Photo: Greenzeb)
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is reporting a dramatic spike in emergency healthcare incidents in Michigan involving the recreational use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas."
According to the state agency, calls to the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center (MiPDC) related to adverse health effects from recreational nitrous oxide use increased by 533 percent from 2019 to 2024. Additionally, emergency medical service responses for nitrous oxide misuse rose by 553 percent during the same period, and emergency department visits increased by 757 percent from 2019 to 2023.
“This is a serious public health problem. At the MiPDC, our consultants are encountering a significant increase in cases involving neurological and cardiovascular effects related to the recreational use of nitrous oxide,” said Dr. Varun Vohra, MiPDC senior director and clinical toxicologist, in a statement. “Individuals who use nitrous oxide and clinicians who treat them should be aware of the symptoms and long-term risks associated with chronic recreational misuse.”
The Cleveland Clinic reports that excessive recreational use of nitrous oxide can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening health complications, including low blood pressure (hypotension), low oxygen levels, fainting, heart attack and nerve damage.
Long-term effects may include depression, psychosis, memory loss, muscle spasms, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), numbness—especially in the hands and feet—a weakened immune system, and birth defects in pregnant women.
Nitrous oxide is used medically for its anesthetic and analgesic properties by doctors and dentists, and commercially in steel aerosol whipped cream dispensers. It can be purchased online, at grocery and convenience stores, and in smoke/vape shops, according to a state press release. Nitrous oxide products come in a variety of flavors and are often marketed to young people.
Recreationally, it is used to induce euphoria, relaxation, and hallucinogenic effects by slowing down the nervous system.
For recreational use, people often use "nitrouis oxide whippets," two-inch canisters of the product with a bag or mask or they inhale it from a balloon. Some also obtain tanks of the product.
As of 2024, state law prohibits the sale of devices specifically designed for recreational nitrous oxide use.
“The drug landscape is constantly changing, and the increase in nitrous oxide misuse is concerning, given the widespread availability of the product and the rise in polysubstance use,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive, in a statement. “It is crucial that individuals who use nitrous oxide are aware of the risks of chronic use and take steps to reduce its harms.”
Watch a WDIV report from a year ago
