FDA Warns of Rising Injuries From Misuse of Laughing Gas
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, March 17, 2025 -- Health officials are warning about a rise in injuries linked to the misuse of nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas.
The gas, which is used medically as a sedative and in whipped cream cans, is now being sold in small, flavored canisters with names such as Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas and MassGass.
On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that inhaling nitrous oxide to get high can cause dangerously low blood pressure, leading to fainting and injuries.
The administration highlighted that these products, often in colorful packaging, are available at gas stations, vape shops and online.
Nitrous oxide can briefly cut off oxygen to the brain, which can be extremely dangerous.
While manufacturers claim their products are "for culinary use only," videos of people inhaling them for recreational purposes have circulated on social media for years.
The FDA has seen a rise in reports of health issues related to nitrous oxide, and poison control centers have received more emergency calls from people collapsing after using it.
"The FDA advises consumers to not misuse or inhale nitrous oxide products," the statement said. "These products can result in serious adverse health effects, including death, when inhaled."
No federal laws restrict the sale of nitrous oxide, though some states have set age limits.
The FDA regulates it as a medical product when used by doctors, but its oversight of culinary-marketed versions remains unclear.
Sources
- Associated Press, March 14, 2025
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, advisory, March 14, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
Fewer People Seeking Treatment For Cannabis Use Disorder
MONDAY, June 9, 2025 — Fewer people are receiving treatment for cannabis use disorder these days, even as weed becomes more potent and widely used throughout the U.S., a new...
More Seniors Are Regular Weed Users
TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 — Add weed use to goofy jokes, outdated clothes, old music and other things Grandpa and Grandma enjoy that could potentially embarrass their kids and...
Trump's Surgeon General Pick Touts Psychedelics for Health
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 — President Donald Trump's choice for U.S. surgeon general has raised eyebrows for promoting the use of psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, in a...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.