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Nitrous oxide

Last published: November 10, 2021

What is nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas that is commonly used for sedation and pain relief, but is also used by
people to feel intoxicated or high.1

It is commonly used by dentists and medical professionals to sedate patients undergoing minor medical
procedures.1 It is also a food additive when used as a propellant for whipped cream, and is used in the
automotive industry to enhance engine performance. It is also increasingly being used to treat people
withdrawing from alcohol (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/alcohol/) dependence. Nitrous oxide is
classified as a dissociative anaesthetic and has been found to produce dissociation of the mind from the
body (a sense of floating), distorted perceptions and in rare cases, visual hallucinations.2

How is it used?

The gas is inhaled, typically by discharging nitrous gas cartridges (bulbs or whippets) into another
object, such as a balloon, or directly into the mouth.3 Inhaling nitrous oxide produces a rapid rush of
euphoria and feeling of floating or excitement for a short period of time.3

Other names

Laughing gas, nitro, N2O, NOS, nangs, whippet, hippy crack, buzz bomb, balloons.

Other types of dissociatives

Ketamine (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/ketamine/)

Methoxetamine (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/methoxetamine/)

Effects of nitrous oxide

There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries risk. It’s important to be careful
when taking any type of drug.

Nitrous oxide affects everyone differently, based on:

the amount taken

the user’s size, weight and health

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whether the person is used to taking it

whether other drugs are taken around the same time

The following effects may be felt almost immediately and can last for a few minutes: 2,4,5

euphoria
numbness of the body
sedation
giddiness
uncontrolled laughter
uncoordinated movements
blurred vision
confusion
dizziness and/or light-headedness
sweating
feeling unusually tired or weak
sudden death.

If a large amount of nitrous oxide is inhaled it can produce: 2,4,7

loss of blood pressure

fainting
heart attack.

Inhaling nitrous oxide can be fatal if you don’t get enough oxygen, which is known as hypoxia.2,3,5

Long-term effects

Prolonged exposure to nitrous oxide may result in: 2,4,5,6

memory loss
vitamin B12 depletion (long-term depletion causes brain and nerve damage)
ringing or buzzing in the ears
incontinence
numbness in the hands or feet
limb spasms
potential birth defects (if consumed during pregnancy)
weakened immune system
disruption to reproductive systems
depression
psychological dependence
psychosis.

Mixing with other drugs

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There is no current evidence demonstrating that mixing nitrous oxide with other substances increases
health risks. However, it is possible that combining the gas with stimulants and other drugs places
additional pressure on the heart, increases blood pressure and may disrupt heart rate.5

Anecdotal evidence suggests that combining nitrous oxide with other drugs such as cannabis
(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/cannabis/) , ketamine (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/ketamine/) , LSD
(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/lsd/) , magic mushroom (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/psilocybin/) and
salvia can cause intense dissociation.5,8

Mixing nitrous oxide and alcohol (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/alcohol/) can cause:

confusion
feeling heavy or sluggish
reduced concentration
loss of body control.9

More on Polydrug use

‘Polydrug use’ is a term for the use of more than one drug or type of drug at the
same time or one after another.1 Polydrug use can involve both illicit drugs and
legal substances, such as alcohol and medications.
(https://adf.org.au/reducing-risk/polydrug-use/)

READ MORE

Health and safety

When inhaling directly from tanks or whippets (bulbs), the gas is intensely cold (-40C degrees) and can
cause frostbite to the nose, lips and throat (including vocal cords).5,10 As the gas is also under constant
pressure, it can cause ruptures in lung tissue when inhaled directly from these containers. Releasing the
nitrous oxide into a balloon helps to warm the gas and normalise the pressure before inhaling.5,8

People can also harm themselves if they use faulty gas dispensers, which may explode. Dispensing
several gas canisters consecutively with one cracker (a handheld device used to ‘crack’ a nitrous oxide
bulb/whippet) can also cause cold burns to the hands.5

It is possible to reduce the risks associated with using nitrous oxide by not:

using it alone or in dangerous or isolated places

putting plastic bags over the head or impeding breathing in any way
spraying near flammable substances, such as naked flames or cigarettes
drinking alcohol or taking other drugs
standing or dancing while inhaling, as the user may pass out.3,5

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Withdrawal

There are no significant withdrawal symptoms apart from cravings to use more nitrous.1

Getting help

If your use of nitrous oxide is affecting your health, family, relationships, work, school, financial or other
life situations, you can find help and support.

Call 1300 85 85 84 to speak to a real person and get answers to your questions as well as advice on
practical ‘next steps’.

Path2Help
Not sure what you are looking for?
Try our intuitive Path2Help tool and be matched
with support information and services tailored to
you.

Find (https://adf.org.au/help-
out support/path2help/)
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Nitrous oxide statistics

According to the Australian Trends in Ecstasy and Related Drug Markets 2016 Survey, around one
third (36%) of a sample of people who regularly use ecstasy and related drugs reported recent
nitrous oxide use in the six months preceding the survey. This is considerably higher than 2015
results (26%). Use was highest in Victoria (62%).10

References
1. Malamed, SF & Clark, MS. (2003). Nitrous oxide-oxygen: a new look at a very old technique.
Journal of the California Dental Association, 31(5), 397-404.
2. Brands, B, Sproule, E & Marshman, J. (1998). Drugs and Drug Abuse. Toronto: Addiction
Research Foundation.
3. Papanastasiou, C & Dietze, P. (2015). Just a laughing matter? Nitrous oxide use among a group
of regular psychostimulant users in Melbourne, Victoria. Poster. Melbourne: Centre for
Population Health, Burnet Institute.
4. Re-Solv. (n.d.). Nitrous Oxide (https://www.re-solv.org/volatile-substance-abuse/nitrous-oxide/)
.
5. Drug Science. (2012). Nitrous Oxide (http://www.drugscience.org.uk/drugs-info/nitrous-oxide/)
.
6. Garland, EL, Howard, MO, & Perron, BE. (2009). Nitrous oxide inhalation among adolescents:
Prevalence, correlates, and co-occurrence with volatile solvent inhalation. Journal of
Psychoactive Drugs, 41(4), 337-347.
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7. UK Home Office. (2014). Guidance on restricting the supply of nitrous oxide for recreational use
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-restricting-the-supply-of-nitrous-
oxide-for-recreational-use) .
8. Zacny, JP, Camarillo, VM, Sadeghi, P, & Black, M. (1998). Effects of ethanol and nitrous oxide,
alone and in combination, on mood, psychomotor performance and pain reports in healthy
volunteers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 52(2), 115-123.
9. Sindicich, N. & Burns, L. (2016). Finding from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System
(EDRS)
(https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/National_EDRS_2014.pdf)
.

Explore dissociatives on the Drug Wheel

View the Drug Wheel(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/#wheel)

Effects
blurred vision (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=blurred vision) , confusion (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=confusion) , dizziness
(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=dizziness) , euphoria (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=euphoria) , feeling unusually tired or
weak (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=feeling unusually tired or weak) , giddiness (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=giddiness) ,
numbness (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=numbness) , sedation (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=sedation) , sudden death
(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=sudden death) , sweating (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=sweating) , uncontrolled laughter
(https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=uncontrolled laughter) , uncoordinated movements (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?
query=uncoordinated movements)

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AKA
N2O (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=N2O) , NOS (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=NOS) , balloons (https://adf.org.au/drug-
facts/?query=balloons) , bulbs (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=bulbs) , buzz bomb (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=buzz bomb)
, hippy crack (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=hippy crack) , laughing gas (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=laughing gas) ,
nangs (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=nangs) , nitro (https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/?query=nitro) , whippet (https://adf.org.au/drug-
facts/?query=whippet)

Last updated: 10 Nov 2021

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