Nitrous Oxide – Know the risks

Nitrous oxide (also called Nos, balloons and laughing gas) is a colourless gas sold in canisters, usually inhaled using a balloon and the effects are felt immediately.

How does it make you feel?

Nitrous oxide slows down your brain and your body’s responses, and the effects of the drug varies depending on how much has been inhaled.

Taking nitrous oxide can cause:

• Feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness
• Fits of giggles and laughter – hence the nickname ‘laughing gas’
• Sound distortions and hallucinations – when you see or hear things that aren’t there

Nitrous oxide can also:

• Give you a severe headache
• Cause dizziness
• Stop you thinking straight
• Cause short-lived but intense feelings of paranoia

The risks

• Inhaling nitrous oxide directly from a cannister or in an enclosed space is very dangerous
• If you take too much you risk falling unconscious and/or suffocating from lack of oxygen
• Dizziness may make you act carelessly or dangerously
• Heavy regular use can lead to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and to a form of anaemia
• It can be hard to judge the amount to use safely

If you would like to talk to someone about your drug and/or alcohol use contact Insight Enfield Sort It by telephone 020 83609102 or by E-mail insightenfield@humankindcharity.org.uk