Latest news with #JordanMicu
Scottish Sun
10-08-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Inside deadly ‘Whippets' epidemic which leaves victims brain damaged and incontinent… as dangerous craze spreads to UK
LURED in with child-like fruity flavours, a dangerous party drug has left a trail of destruction in the US - with fears it could spread to the UK. Known as whippets, canisters of nitrous oxide can legally be bought in shops - and in many states, children are able to buy the poisonous gas. 17 Online clips show US teens inhaling Galaxy Gas at school Credit: Instagram 17 Rachel Kelly, from Chicago, Illinois, was left with brain damage after she inhaled nitrous oxide straight out of the canister every day Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 17 Jordan Micu, from North Carolina, suffered seizures and learned to walk again after she got hooked on laughing gas Credit: Kennedy News 17 Possession of nitrous oxide became a criminal offence in the UK in 2023 Credit: Getty Nitrous oxide - also known as NOS - is most commonly inhaled via a balloon, but youngsters are now buying flavoured whipped cream canisters and inhaling them directly from the nozzle. Rather than 8g metal canisters littering the streets, whopping cans contain as much of 2kg of gas - meaning users can inhale massive quantities. The most notorious brand in the US is Galaxy Gas - which comes in child-friendly flavours such as mango smoothie, blueberry, strawberry cream and vanilla cupcake - similar to the marketing of disposable vapes. It became wildly popular among American teens, peaking last year when it was widely glorified in rap videos and social media clips. Read more world news LUCKY FIND Moment missing journalist is found & rescuers reveal how he survived for 5 days Footage of a user inhaling Galaxy Gas racked up 40million views - and inspired countless copycats. A viral song titled "Whippets" is available to watch on YouTube - showing youngsters bragging about their use of Galaxy Gas and repeatedly inhaling from the huge canisters. Although the canisters are intended for food use, guests have also tried it on the Joe Rogan podcast and Kanye West has spoken about his addiction to the substance. After furious backlash, the brand has withdrawn its products from the market and is now only available from a very limited selection of stores - but others are replacing it. In 2023, the UK government made nitrous oxide a Class C drug - but it's mostly failed to rid the streets of discarded metallic canisters. Balloon-huffing revellers still openly inhale at festivals, parties and in the streets. Laughing gas 'epidemic' sweeping party island with tourists left foaming at mouth, having seizures & permanently scarred In serious cases, users have become heavily addicted to the high and left needing rehab or hospital treatment after racing through as many as 15 canisters per day. But in the US, possession of nitrous oxide is legal - and authorities are struggling to crack down on the deadly craze. Between 2023 and 2024, there was a 58 per cent surge in reports of exposure to nitrous oxide in America according to official data. The number of deaths from nitrous oxide also rose by a staggering 110 per cent from 2019 to 2023. Rachel Kelly, from Chicago, inhaled so much nitrous oxide straight out of the canister every day that parts of her brain died and she was left in a wheelchair. 17 Rachel Kelly forked out $220 every day to inhale eight two-litre tanks of 'whippets' Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 17 Barmaid Rachel was left in a wheelchair from her laughing gas addiction Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 17 Whippets can easily be bought in shops - with authorities struggling to crack down on the craze Credit: FOX29 17 Videos of teens inhaling Galaxy Gas are viewed by millions of children online Credit: Getty She first tried the substance aged 21 and by 2023 the 29-year-old was paying $220 a day to inhale eight two-litre tanks. Rachel said "everyone" was using the drug and it was easy to buy at a local convenience store. But her habit left her in hospital unable to go to the toilet or walk on her own - forcing her to spend a month in a rehabilitation centre. Jordan Micu, 30, from North Carolina, was also left suffering seizures after getting hooked on the canisters as a 21-year-old college student. They're obviously being marketed to appeal for young people and not for its intended use Fiona Spargo-Mabbs In the US, shops often offer deals and colourful canisters can easily be found in smoke shops - despite their intended use for food production. Imyouski, 22, told GQ: "It's like an epidemic, all the young folks are on them. "It's too obtainable, I could literally drive down the street right now and go grab me how many I want." And in the UK, canisters are also widely available to purchase online. A range of brands have emerged with similar whacky flavours and bright marketing available online in the UK. 17 Baking Bad offers four different whacky flavours in vivid colours Credit: Baking Bad 17 Miami Magic also has sweet flavours and graphic marketing - like Galaxy Gas Credit: Miami Magic "Baking Bad" and "Miami Magic", both cream charger brands available online in the UK, have recently released new flavoured ranges. Baking Bad offers candy, strawberry, blueberry mango and watermelon lemon flavoured gas. Miami Magic, meanwhile, boasts rainbow, watermelon, blue raspberry and strawberry guava editions. The fruit combo flavours in particular are similar to many vapes that have hit the market in recent years. Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, founder and director of drugs education charity the DSM foundation, told The Sun: "I googled nitrous oxide in the UK and it came up with a whole load of places you can buy it. "These social media trends or videos that go viral and are seen by loads of people. "It's a concern, it's always a concern. They're being marketed with cartoon characters, GTA imaging on the outside of canisters. "They're obviously being marketed to appeal for young people and not for its intended use." I think young people just see it as a bit of fun at first but then use it for self-medication for depression and anxiety Dan Gibbons Fiona, a member of the government's advisory council on the misuse of drugs, added: "Things that come from the states and social media, there can be so many influences in terms of the decisions young people make. "The exposure that young people have to drugs on social media is something I am concerned about." Dan Gibbons, from UK-based solvent abuse charity Re-Solv, told The Sun: "Galaxy Gas has not come across our radar as much in the UK but you can get it here. "I think young people just see it as a bit of fun at first but then use it for self-medication for depression and anxiety." 17 Meg Caldwell died in her car after getting hook on laughing gas Credit: NEWS 6 17 Canisters are widely available in smoke shops in America - making it easily accessible Credit: FOX29 17 Galaxy Gas has become a popular method to inhale nitrous oxide in the US Credit: Instagram 17 Galaxy Gas is sold in child-friendly flavours like Mango Smoothie He said he wouldn't be surprised if the huge canisters start to make an appearance at British festivals after being heavily promoted online in the US. Dan says Re-Solve has even seen an increase in referrals for laughing gas addiction since the government ban was imposed. Dr Gail Saltz told us: "There are teens who have suffered permanent neurological loss as a result of this behaviour. "And it certainly can kill you." The doctor explained that inhaling the gas can lead to a range of very serious medical problems - and even death in the most severe cases. She explained: "When you inhale high pressure nitrous oxide, you are not getting any oxygen to the brain - so that's oxygen depravation. "And that can cause a heart attack, a stroke, injury to the brain. "More persistent use can lead to other issues such as B12 deficiency, anaemia, and other neurological problems." Meg Caldwell, a horse rider from Florida, started using nitrous oxide recreationally while at university. But her usage got heavier to the point it "started ruining her life". After an overdose, Meg, 29, temporarily lost use of her legs and was left incontinent, but carried on spending hundreds of dollars a day on the gas. She died in November last year in a car park outside a vape shop. Her sister Leigh Caldwell told Boston 25: "She would spend $300, $400 at a smoke shop in a day. "Her whole life had become derailed due to her addiction to this drug." Another sister, Kathleen Dial, told the BBC: "She didn't think that it would hurt her because she was buying it in the smoke shop, so she thought she was using this substance legally." Meg's family has now filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of nitrous oxide and seven Florida smoke shops to stop retail sales of the drug. Galaxy Gas is named in the lawsuit. Drug addiction counsellor Kim Castro said that she's had four clients who have died from nitrous oxide poisoning. She told Boston 25: "You really don't know when you'll stop breathing, when you'll lose consciousness, when your body will stop functioning. It's pretty scary." In March, the FDA released a warning advising consumers not to inhale nitrous oxide products, including Galaxy Gas and other brands. 17 Discarded canisters of nitrous oxide piled up at Glastonbury festival at Worthy Farm Credit: AFP 17 In the UK, nitrous oxide is commonly used by inhaling balloons filled with small metal cartridges 17 Recreational nitrous oxide has been banned in the UK Credit: Instagram Dr Saltz said that sucking laughing gas to get high is not a new phenomenon, but there's been a surge in the past three to five years thanks to a "new twist" in the market. She said: "The new addition in recent years is flavours, which has made it more appealing to younger and younger people. "It seems like it's being literally marketed to this group of people. It makes it seem not dangerous and more innocuous." The doc agrees that social media has supercharged the spread of the drug amongst youngsters - allowing it to be glorified, but also popularising "challenges" involving the gas. She also warned of the danger of "copycat companies" who have "caught onto the fact that young people will buy this and use it for abuse". The doctor insisted there are some obvious ways to fight back against the gas falling into teens' hands. She said: "Selling to underage individuals is something that is frequently abused - and that of course shouldn't be happening. "We should be putting more warnings on the packaging so that the adult who is buying it is warned - because they may not realise what their teen is actually asking for. "And I wish that the companies would not be able to market to young people. "Once you've identified something as used for abuse, governments should have the ability to say to a company: 'This is what you can do, this is what you can't do.' For the greater societal good." Dr Saltz also explained that laughing gas is "easier to hide than abuse of many other things". She said: "It has no smell, it seems innocuous because it can be used for food preparation. It's not expensive, and the high is short."
The Sun
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I lost all feeling in my legs, peed myself, smashed my face and felt suicidal after doing £150 of laughing gas every day
JORDAN Micu first tried laughing gas as a university student aged 21. Almost a decade later, she was left battling petrifying seizures and was forced to relearn to walk after losing control of both her legs. The financial worker, now 30, tells Sun Health: 'I was absolutely terrified. 'I felt like I was trapped in my own brain, like my mind had turned on me and I couldn't do anything about it. 'It was really scary.' Jordan was studying maths at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, United States, when she was first offered nitrous oxide - usually sold to aerate whipped cream but widely abused. She thought it was simply something she would do 'recreationally' with friends, but by 2023, she was hooked. 'At that time I didn't immediately form an addiction or anything like that,' she says. 'It was just very casual use over the next couple of years until it became an everyday thing.' Jordan, who blames loneliness and boredom from working a remote job for her addiction, was soon going through three to four canisters a day and forking out more than $200 (£147) for them. Shocking footage shows her inhaling the gas straight from the tanks, which she claims were easily accessible to purchase at smoke shops. And things soon took a turn. Jordan, who is training to be an actuary, had her first seizure in November 2023, during which she smashed her face on her bathroom floor. Although she describes the moment as 'scary', it wasn't enough to deter her from continuing the habit. Jordan had another handful of seizures, and in September 2024 after a five-day EEG to measure her brains' electrical activity, doctors diagnosed her with epilepsy. She was prescribed medication and sent home. But just weeks later, Jordan collapsed while getting out of bed, having lost control of both her legs. She was forced to use a walker for two weeks while she relearned how to put one foot in front of the other. Once recovered physically, Jordan checked herself into rehab in Los Angeles, California, on February 11, 2025. It has been more than four months since she last inhaled laughing gas, and she is now sharing her story to raise awareness of the dangers of the substance. Jordan, from Chicago, Illinois, says: 'I was very lonely. 'I was working remotely and didn't have any friends, and that absolutely contributed to everything. 'I think the main reason I started using laughing gas was because I didn't know anybody to buy other drugs from and I knew I could legally buy canisters in shops. 'I would do it all night. I would wake up, inhale it and go back to sleep. 'I woke up one day and tried to get out of bed to use the bathroom and I immediately fell. I couldn't feel my legs anymore. 16 16 16 'A very common symptom is loss of bladder control. 'I was actually at that point where I was using the bathroom in bed sometimes. 'That awful day, I was rushing out of bed and trying to run to the bathroom when I completely slid on the floor and couldn't feel my legs. 'I felt a lot of numbness and tingling. I could feel my toes but they felt like pins and needles because of the damage I had done to my nerves. 'Despite all of this, it didn't really register that I had a severe problem at the time.' SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a colourless gas. It's a Class C drug and it's illegal to possess it in the UK and US unless for legitimate use in medical, dental, veterinary and culinary settings. Those caught with nitrous oxide for unlawful use face a caution, community service or an unlimited fine. Repeat offenders could serve up to two years in prison, and the maximum sentence for the production or supply of the drug for unlawful purposes is 14 years. It also carries some serious health risks. Heavy use can cause headaches, dizziness, anxiety, neurological damage, paralysis and even death. NITROUS oxide - also known as laughing gas or hippy crack - was recently made a Class C due to the dangers associated with the drug. It can cause a range of health issues and in some cases can even be fatal. Some common side effects from inhaling the gas are dizziness, nausea, disorientation, loss of balance and weakness in legs, according to a study on its risks published to the National Library of Medicine. Nitrous oxide can impair memory and thinking, the research mentioned. Some users might also feel anxious or paranoid. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), the gas from nitrous oxide bulbs is intensely cold, sometimes as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Inhaling directly from the canister or crackers - handheld devices used to 'crack' open canister - can cause frostbite on the nose, lips and throat, even the vocal cords. The icy chill of the gas canisters can also cause cold burns to the hands. Long term, heavy use of laughing gas can cause a lack of vitamin B12. Severe deficiency can lead to serious nerve damage, causing tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes. Lack of B12 can also cause damage to the spinal cord. In some cases, frequent and prolonged use of nitrous oxide has been linked to thromboembolic events - this means a blood clot has gotten stuck and caused an obstruction. The so-called laughing gas has also resulted in deaths. Jordan says the gas affected her ability to absorb vitamin B12 and she will need injections for the rest of her life to correct this. It also impacted her mental health, leaving her feeling more alone than ever. 'I was very depressed, lying in my bed a lot, sleeping. I was a shell of a person,' Jordan says. 'There were so many times that I was using it where I was like, 'Please just let this be the one that does it, that ends my life'. 'It's really sad and scary to look back now. 16 16 16 16 'I started feeling like a failure to my family because they noticed I was using something. 'My brother told me if I didn't go to rehab he wouldn't talk to me again. So that's what made me ultimately go. 'I have a lot of memory loss from that period as it really did affect my brain. 'I have been working very hard to train my brain to focus on things again, but it isn't back to normal.' She adds: 'This is not a game. It doesn't feel serious while you're using it, but the longer you do it, the more seriously it affects you. 'It is absolutely too easy to buy. The smoke shop that I would go to is three minutes away. I could walk there.' 16 16 16 16 16 16
