Laughing gas – no laughing matter

Dr David Nicholl, Consultant Neurologist has warned people about the devastating effects he is seeing in patients taking nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’ or ‘nos’, as a legal high.

Nitrous oxide is designed for use in the healthcare and catering industries, but youngsters are taking it recreationally for a quick high, chasing the feeling of euphoria, relaxation, and dissociation from reality.

Recently reports have announced that laughing gas could be banned from general sale with possession potentially criminalised unless someone has a “legitimate reason” to have it.

Dr Nicholl said: “There wasn’t a single case of nitrous oxide abuse before the pandemic. However, since then, we’ve seen an epidemic of young people coming into hospital with secondary nitrous oxide abuse - sometimes taking hundreds of little cylinders.

“There is unfortunately a franchise of shops across Birmingham flogging nitrous oxidethis is a breach of the law.

“But it’s now escalated from whippits that you may often see discarded on the floors of pavements and parks, to supersize versions

Medicine And Emergency Care

that hold eighty times the size.”

This also presents as a new threat to drivers, as there is a rise of young motorists getting behind the wheel high on laughing gas.

Dr Nicholl added: “Whether it’s a short binge or chronic use, it’s just not safe. We’ve seen people coming to hospital with tingling and numbness in their hands and feet, deep cold burns, difficulty walking, psychosis, loss of vision, spinal cord damage and in extreme cases, paralysis or even death.

“There is a common misconception that if users take B12, they won’t be harmed, but I have seen patients with normal B12 presenting with nitrous oxide abuse, so the best thing to do is just not use it.”

To learn more about the ‘epidemic’, head over to the Trust’s TikTok page @swbhnhs where you can also hear from our other medical professionals on their first-hand experiences with patients.