GALAXY GAS Nitrous oxide — a.k.a. whippits, Noz, N2O — is being sold in smoke and tobacco shops as a FLAVORED recreational INHALANT. These sales should be against the law much like flavored vape juice which was recently outlawed across the nation.

Huffing (inhaling) nitrous oxide is addictive, deadly, big money, undetectable on drug tests, and a well-known option for those who want to get high without getting caught. 

HOW IT WORKS: Recreational users release the pure gas into a balloon, then inhale that. Nitrous oxide is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and hits the brain almost immediately. This provides a short burst of euphoria, laughter, dizziness and distorted perception sometimes described as 40 seconds of bliss.

BRAIN DAMAGE AND FATALITIES: But the gas displaces air in the lungs, so users also aren’t getting any oxygen. And this sudden deprivation of oxygen to the brain can cause not just loss of consciousness, but also strokes, paralysis, heart failure and death from asphyxiation. Additionally, many who abuse nitrous inhale it right after they buy it — in their parked car or even while driving. Recent news reports have noted fatal car crashes where the driver, high on nitrous, passed out behind the wheel.

I personally know many individuals who have been affected by addiction to nitrous oxide. Smoke and tobacco shops have no business selling these products.