Whippets are gaining popularity again, with TikTok videos featuring teens using Galaxy Gas going viral. These stainless steel containers contain nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. While nitrous oxide has legitimate uses, it has also been misused for recreational purposes for centuries.
What Is The Viral TikTok Trend Of Galaxy Gas?
Inhaling nitrous oxide can cause symptoms like dizziness and lightheadedness, as explained by Dr. Bruce Ruck, managing director at the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
Galaxy Gas has made this substance even more appealing by offering it in flavoured varieties such as blue raspberry, mango smoothie, and strawberry. The gas is typically used in whipped cream dispensers, which is why it’s often referred to as a “whippet.”
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Dr. Ruck notes that adding flavors may not enhance the drug’s effects but could make it more attractive, potentially leading to increased misuse. New Jersey law requires that individuals purchasing nitrous oxide for food preparation must be at least 19 years old and obtain a permit. However, these flavored canisters are readily available online through platforms like Walmart, Amazon, and the Galaxy Gas website, often without proper age verification.
Health Risks
Galaxy Gas warns on its website that inhaling the contents for non-intended uses is dangerous and illegal. Inhalant abuse, whether it involves gasoline, keyboard dusters, or nitrous oxide, can impair motor skills, increasing the risk of accidents, such as falling and hitting one’s head.
Social media platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) feature videos of teens using Galaxy Gas. One widely viewed video shows a student inhaling the gas in class and collapsing afterward.
The New Jersey Poison Control Center receives about eight to ten calls annually regarding nitrous oxide, though the actual number of cases is likely higher, as hospitals are not required by law to report these incidents, even if they result in fatalities.
Nitrous oxide impacts the central nervous system, especially the brain, according to Dr. Ganjian. It reduces oxygen flow to the brain, leading to dizziness, impaired judgment, and, in severe cases, oxygen deprivation that can cause brain cell damage or death. Other potential side effects include loss of coordination, headaches, nausea, vomiting, vitamin B12 deficiency (which can lead to nerve damage), loss of consciousness, heart attack, and sudden death due to oxygen deprivation.
Dr. Ganjian advises seeking immediate medical help if someone experiences loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties, seizures, or blue discoloration around the lips or fingertips, all signs of oxygen deprivation.
