TikTok trend linked to spike in teen deaths from nitrous oxide misuse, Maryland pharmacist says

A growing number of young people are misusing nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or whippets, to get high, and a Maryland health expert warns that the consequences can be deadly. 

A study published July 30 in JAMA Network Open found that U.S. deaths from nitrous oxide jumped by 578% between 2010 and 2023. 

Last year alone, 156 minors died after inhaling the gas, often from small, presurized canisters sold as whipped cream chargers. 

Concerns about nitrous oxide use

Known by brand names like Galaxy Gas, the nitrous oxide canisters are sold online and at gas stations in flavored packaging. 

On TikTok and other social media platforms, videos of young people inhaling from the canisters have gone viral, drawing concerns from health professionals. 

"It might seem harmless at first, but it could just take one sitting," said David Berg-Lewis, an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist with LifeBridge Health in Maryland. "You start with a headache or dizziness, but that can quickly lead to seizures, loss of consciousness or even death." 

Berg-Lewis explained that nitrous oxide cuts off oxygen to the brain, effectively sedating a person's central nervous system.

"It deprives people of oxygen," he said. "That's what leads to unconsciousness, suffocation and unfortunately, it can be fatal."

Risks of misusing nitrous oxide 

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, analyzed 14 years of data on nitrous oxide-related deaths from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The authors of the study noted that the accessibility of the gas, the flavoring and its presence on social media have made it more appealing to young people. 

"The unconsciousness and suffocation can happen quickly," Berg-Lewis said. "But there are long-term risks too. People can develop numbness and tingling in their hands and legs, weakness, even permanent lung damage."

According to Berg-Lewis, the effects depend heavily on the concentration of the gas.

"Once the percentage of nitrous oxide in the air hits 80%, you're basically cutting off the brain's oxygen supply," he said. "At that point, someone can slip into an unconscious state." 

While Berg-Lewis hasn't personally treated a nitrous oxide-related case in the emergency department yet, he said some of his colleagues have, and he hopes he doesn't encounter one. 

"I mean, using it at all is not good," he said. "But the scary thing is how fast it can go from someone just trying it to a life-threatening situation."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning earlier this year, listing 15 nitrous oxide products, including Galaxy Gas, as potentially dangerous when misused. 

However, Berg-Lewis said dozens more are likely on the market, and many are not regulated or clearly labeled.