More and more young people are sharing their laughter on social networks. Moments of hilarity caused by the inhalation of nitrous oxide with which they fill balloons. The product is available over the counter, but it is far from harmless.
A million people who follow a candidate for a reality TV game on social networks were able, on July 21, to see their “idol” suck the contents of a balloon before manifesting a spectacular state of hilarity. . A type of behavior increasingly shared on these networks that have made these “hilarious balloons” very popular. The product at the origin of these giggles: nitrous oxide, a propellant gas sold freely in cartridges which is used to supply the carboys of whipped cream or dry air for computers.
The perfect companion for festive evenings
Transferred to a balloon and then sucked in by the mouth, nitrous oxide has become the perfect companion for many festive evenings: it provides a euphoria comparable to drunkenness due to alcohol, often accompanied by uncontrollable laughter and effects on sight and hearing. It has thus become one of the three most consumed psychoactive products by French students behind cannabis and poppers (another euphoric substance).
Only problem: nitrous oxide, although available over the counter, is far from harmless. The list of its possible side effects has been drawn up on the government site Drug Info Service … and it is impressive: nausea, vomiting, headaches, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drowsiness, tinnitus … but above all burning of the lips, of the nose or vocal cords because of the cold since this gas is conditioned at a very low temperature, alteration of swallowing reflexes, loss of consciousness.
Warning about long-term effects
And that’s not all. The government site also warns of the longer-term effects of regular use of this laughing gas: memory loss, mood disorders and paranoia, erectile dysfunction, hallucinations, heart and blood pressure disorders. . In high doses, the consumption of nitrous oxide can lead to vitamin B 12 deficiency and neurological disorders.
Overdose is manifested by motor disturbances, convulsions and possible respiratory distress which can lead to death.
Fortunately, the addictive potential of this product, if it remains discussed, seems reduced and the effects of “withdrawal” quite limited: anxiety, abdominal pain and tremors. But the Drogue Info Service site stresses that the ease of access to this product and its low cost can “encourage frequent renewal of doses and lead to excessive consumption”.
