June 02, 2026
Sam Upshaw Jr./Imagn Images
Nitrous oxide inhaled from canisters produces a fleeting high that can lead to brain damage and death. Above, a collection of nitrous oxide canisters.
Amidst the opioid crisis and rising concern about easily accessible kratom and hemp products, nitrous oxide abuse receives minimal attention.
But inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, to get high is on the rise. More than 13 million people in the United States have misused nitrous oxide – often called "whippets" or "whippits" – in their lifetimes, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. And fatal nitrous oxide poisonings shot up by 110% between 2019 and 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
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Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory warned about the dangers of doing whippets, including increased risk of blood clots, asphyxiation and death. Now, a Pennsylvania lawmaker is trying to address the issue through legislation that would ban the sale of nitrous oxide products except for approved uses.
"There are no federal limits on who can purchase nitrous oxide," state Sen. Carolyn Comitta, a Democrat who represents portions of Chester County, said last week after meeting with a family whose son became addicted. "In Pennsylvania, inhaling, possessing, or selling N2O for the purpose of intoxication is a third-degree misdemeanor. Clearly, that is not enough to protect public safety."
Nitrous oxide is used in medical settings for anesthesia and pain relief. Dentists often administer it to people undergoing tooth extractions, root canals and other procedures, because it eases anxiety and the awareness of pain. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that nitrous oxide may improve depression in people who have not had success with common antidepressants.
But some people abuse nitrous oxide outside of medical settings for the brief high it gives as oxygen is cut off from the brain. Nitrous oxide products ripe for abuse are easily accessible through Amazon, eBay, Walmart and at smoke shops and gas stations. They come under a variety of names including, Baking Bad, Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas, HOTWHIP, InfusionMax, MassGass, Miami Magic and Whip-it!
Comitta has proposed prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide except for use in dental practices or for legitimate uses in the automotive, chemical or tech industries. Retailers would have to sign affirmations through an online portal, managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, that the sale of nitrous oxide products were for these legitimate uses.
The sale of flavored nitrous oxide products that "are generally considered to have no legitimate practical application" would be banned, Comitta's proposal states.
Alabama, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Tennessee and Washington have laws restricting the sale and abuse of such products.
The name "whippets" for nitrous oxide inhalant drugs comes from the use of whipped cream canisters to breath in the gas. People also inhale nitrous oxide from other commercial products, such as sprays used to clean machinery and computers. This is sometimes called "dusters."
The euphoria whippets produces can temporarily ease mental discomfort and physical pain, but because the effect is so fleeting, people have to keep inhaling the gas to feel it. People who regularly abuse nitrous oxide may have to detox from the drug and seek inpatients or outpatient treatment, including behavior therapy, the American Addiction Centers says.
Inhaling nitrous oxide can cause dizziness, headaches, impaired coordination, slurred speech and drowsiness. Misusing nitrous oxide also can lead to hallucinations, delusions, bizarre behavior and cognitive impairment. Hypoxia, a condition occurring when tissue and organs do not get enough oxygen, irregular heartbeat, seizures, neuropathy and death also may occur.
