College kids, an old drug, and why it's everywhere again

USA Today

14-01-2025

College kids, an old drug, and why it's everywhere again
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What is 'galaxy gas'? What to know about new dangerous trend
Nitrous oxide, the ingredient in laughing gas, is now being called 'galaxy gas' on social media. Young folks are taking a whiff, getting high and posting about it, creating a dangerous trend.
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An old drug has taken on new popularity — and it has doctors concerned.
Once known by nicknames like laughing gas and hippy crack, the inhalant nitrous oxide — a sedative commonly used by healthcare providers — is getting attention online.
In a TikTok with over 4.4 million views, Hootie Hurley, one half of a touring DJ group that frequently performs fraternity shows, talked about watching inhalant abuse unfold at a fraternity house.
'We walk into the president's chambers (at the fraternity) … and there's three dudes carrying, like, Butane tanks,' Hurley said. 'And they're going, 'keep going, keep going, keep going!'' as a student huffed the gas. Hurley says he witnessed the student pass out for several seconds; and he met a woman later in the evening who was also huffing, which illustrated to him the behavior wasn't contained to a single group of students or fraternity.
Inhalant abuse isn't new. But drug abuse experts say the prevalence of smoke shops and accessibility of online shopping have made it easier for people to purchase nitrous oxide containers in large quantities. At the same time, social media posts — even negative ones — about huffing have emboldened teens and young people to try it and contributed to its normalization.
How does nitrous oxide function as a drug?
Nitrous oxide is a short-acting sedative that slows down the nervous system by restricting oxygen flow to the brain, producing a high. The substance produces vapors that can lead to short-term impaired vision and speech as well as nausea and drowsiness. It can also have more dangerous side effects like heart failure and long-term memory, attention and judgment problems, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Long-term use of inhalants is also associated with mood and anxiety disorders such as depression.
'For really high volume, longer term use, there's actually nerve conduction function impairment, and some cognitive function impairment," says Cleveland Clinic Pediatric Pulmonologist Dr. John Carl.
The drug is often sold in small canisters called whippets or whip-its, nicknamed after aerosol chargers that propel whipped cream out of a canister. But some users, like the students Hurley referenced in the video, inhale gas directly from large tanks, increasing the risk of effects.
Selling and purchasing nitrous oxide for its intended purpose is legal, but some states have outlawed recreational use of the gas. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates nitrous oxide under its Food Drug and Cosmetics Act.
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Growing usage on college campuses
It's not the first time the drug's usage has gone viral. During Mardi Gras last February, videos showed thousands of steel cartridges lining Tulane University frat houses.
'I had no idea what whippets were before I came to Tulane,' says Tulane sophomore Alya Satchu, who added that the streets near campus were full of 'empty, little metal canisters' during the celebration. 'It was just something that I had become used to at this point, that this was the culture at Tulane.'
West Virginia University also recorded a spike in mouth and throat injuries in October 2024 due to inhalant abuse and warned students of potential frostbite and chill burns around the mouth, throat and fingers as a result of the low-temperature of the nitrous oxide.
The majority of the injuries were from whippets, according to WMU Student Health and Urgent Care Medical Director Dr. Carmen Burrell.
Inhalant abuse isn't new, but experts worry it's making a comeback
Huffing has been around for decades. In the '90s, there was a '7th Heaven' episode about kids who huffed paint fumes that gained attention and was even shown in some schools to warn students of the dangers.
What is making the rounds today isn't all that different.
Aerosols, along with gases like halothane, nitrous oxide, butane and more all fit under the umbrella of inhalants, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. But while abuse of glue, felt-tip markers and spray paints were depicted in 1990s and 2000s pop culture, today, gases — particularly nitrous oxide — have risen as the most notable form of inhalant abuse among teens and young adults.
Still, inhalant abuse is less prevalent than party drugs like ecstasy or cocaine. In 2023, less than 1% of people ages 12 and older reported using inhalants. But unlike those drugs, nitrous oxide doesn't leave a trail, meaning it slips by in routine drug tests.
Burrell said whippets' availability online has made it easier for students to purchase nitrous oxide containers in large quantities. Part of the product's appeal is affordability.
Sites like Miami Magic Infusions and Galaxy Gas sell whipped cream dispensers and nitrous oxide canisters intended for culinary use by baristas and chefs, but videos online show users abusing the products, which are available in colorful designs and fruity flavors.
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Tulane University School of Social Work Dean Patrick Bordnick, who researches substance addiction, says employing such marketing tactics creates a false idea 'that this isn't a harmful thing.'
'Put two and two together, and you have almost an analog to the e-cigarette scenario,' Bordnick says, referring to how e-cigarette companies initially only offered menthol and regular flavors before adding flavors like cotton candy and blue raspberry, which in turn caught the attention of young people. 'We're creating flavors and packaging and things that clearly target non-chefs.'
Parents should talk to their kids about it
For concerned parents, the first step is an increased awareness and the second is beginning a dialogue.
Carl says parents should open up a conversation with their kids about nitrous oxide while being aware of the modern stressors of being a young adult.
'There's an incredible amount of stress and depression and people are trying to escape,' Carl says. The rise in usage comes as young adults are experiencing anxiety, depression and mood disorders at severe levels.
As parents talk to their kids about drugs, it's important to keep those mental health concerns in mind.
Hale's role covering youth mental health at USA TODAY is funded by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not provide editorial input. Reach her at [e-mail] and @rachelleighhale on X.