Laughing gas is composed of nitrogen oxide, a natural chemical molecule that is a non-flammable, colorless gas with a somewhat sweet, almost metallic taste at normal temperature.
Nitrogen, which may be found in everything from whipped cream cans to race vehicles, is also widely used as a recreational stimulant. It’s easy to understand why: it’s legal, inexpensive, and provides a consistent blast of exhilaration.
But how do you use laughing gas (or nitrogen)? Continue reading for top tips on how to utilize nitrogen appropriately.
What you need to know about NANGS
Whatever you call Nitrous Oxide — Nangs, whip-its, charges, bulbs, Nos, laughing gas – there’s a lot you don’t know about this drug enjoyed by dentists, pastry chefs, and doofers alike. Nitrous is lawful to buy, but it is prohibited to use it to get high (although anecdotal reports suggest eating whipped cream can lead to feelings of euphoria, elation, and nausea…)
Perhaps you don’t know much about nangs – you may have simply noticed empty steel cartridges littering a dance floor, heard a distinct screeching sound coming from someone’s tent, or mistakenly assumed that your fellow partygoers who appear to be blowing up a lot of balloons are simply working on their campsite decorations.
Even though it is generally recognized as a party drug in our circles, nitrous oxide has been used in race car engines since the 1960s, in whipped cream since the 1930s, and as a painkiller and anesthetic in dentistry and surgery since the 1840s. However, nitrous oxide was initially employed by the British upper class in the 1790s, when they’d puff bags full of it during “laughing gas parties”! Yes, nitrous oxide was used recreationally for more than 40 years before it was utilized for anything else!
While nitrous oxide is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Drugs, which lists the most effective and safe medicines required in a health system, recreational use is not always safe. There are several possible hazards that you should be aware of to ensure that you are taking care of yourself when partying.
What’s the deal with the balloons?
People discharge nitrous oxide into balloons for two basic reasons. To begin, nitrous oxide is held under pressure in both cream chargers and cannisters, which means that when it is released, it will be FAST and FROSTY. If you inhale it directly, it can cause serious damage to your lungs, so always inflate a balloon with the nitrous first when using hand-held crackers and cannisters.
The second reason is because our bodies don’t handle (or’metabolize’) nitrous oxide very efficiently – on average, less than 0.01 percent is metabolised every time you have a nang. This doesn’t mean you’re losing out on 99 percent of the high; it just means your body doesn’t need to break it down in order for it to have an effect on you. People frequently breathe nitrous oxide in and out of balloons to maximize the effects.
Because nanganators have a metal cylinder into which the gas is fractured, you may let it to cool before gently releasing it into your lungs without the need of a balloon.
Tanks, Crackers, and Nanganators
Nitrous oxide is available in two forms: tiny ‘cream chargers’ or ‘bulbs,’ and larger medical gas cannisters (which look like a scuba tank).
Cream chargers are intended for use with whipped cream dispensers, sometimes known as ‘nanganators,’ although they may also be used in smaller hand-held ‘crackers.’
Surgeons and dentists utilize gas cannisters to give nitrous oxide to patients as a pain reliever or to sedate them. When used recreationally, the cannisters may have a breathing mask attached to them that you place over your mouth/nose, or they are more typically used to fill balloons with nitrous oxide.
Balloons can be used as a method of administration
You can inhale laughing gas from whipping cream containers or culinary sprays, but we always recommend utilizing a balloon in conjunction with a canister and cream charger.
Bypassing balloons and inhaling directly from a canister might cause your lips and airways to freeze, causing severe injury. Furthermore, while breathing gas from a canister, the pace is more difficult to regulate, which means you might “overdose” and faint – something you don’t want to do. So, utilize a balloon for safe and dependable outcomes.
Simply fill a balloon with air, connect it to your nitrogen cartridge, and gently fill the balloon with the gas. Make sure the balloon’s tip is firmly sealed so that no gas escapes.
Then take a deep breath, position the tip of the balloon in your mouth, gently release the contents into your mouth, and inhale it. Hold it in your lungs for a few seconds, then exhale like a joint toke, and repeat.
Take it gently; while laughing gas gives a humorous sensation of pleasure, it can also cause dizziness or nausea in some individuals.
Take a deep breath
Because nitrous gas is only weakly metabolised (processed), individuals frequently breathe their dose in and out of a balloon to maximize its effects.
Obviously, none of us like the thought of medications going to waste. However, if you intend to employ a balloon to maximize the effects of the nang, you must consider another critical gas — oxygen.
Breathing in and out of a balloon on repeat means you’ll be denying yourself of oxygen, which can lead to significant consequences. Oxygen deprivation, often known as hypoxia, can happen suddenly. Because your breathing reflex is triggered by a build-up of carbon dioxide in your lungs rather than a shortage of oxygen, you may not realize you’re running low on oxygen because you won’t necessarily have a build-up of carbon dioxide in your body signaling you to breathe.
Oxygen deprivation may be fatal! Some of the probable side effects include memory issues, loss of body control, and organ damage. You might collapse if you stand up when you have it.
If you’re going to be inhaling nitrous into and out of a balloon, be sure you’re still receiving enough oxygen. Rather than simply breathing in and out, in and out, in and out till you can’t anymore, attempt to obtain some oxygen in between breaths.
Breathe in the nitrous, hold for a few seconds, blow it back into the balloon, take a few breaths of fresh air, and repeat 2 or 3 times. If you find something too complex, you’re definitely already at a high enough level.
First, filter
Most, if not all, cream charger brands have a black oily residue that we believe is grease from the production process. You can see this grease if you run your finger around the interior of a nanganator, or you may detect a yellow stain on the nozzle or within the dispenser. Another reason people use balloons is because some of it ends up on the interior of the balloons.
There have also been instances of minute metal particles being produced when nangs are broken; these can be minuscule and only felt when touching the grease, but they can be up to three centimetres long.
No one wants a 3mm shard of stainless steel in their lungs, so if you’re going to use nangs, consider filtering them first. When breathing straight from a nanganator, breathe in through a piece of cloth, such as your shirt, a bandanna, or a handkerchief.
If you don’t want to use a balloon, you may still filter your nangs with a piece of cloth attached to your nanganator or cracker. Take a look at our step-by-step tutorial at the bottom of the page.
Be cautious of the dangerous side effects
The most common injury caused by nangs, believe it or not, is falling! Nitrous oxide can cause a complete lack of body control, and you may or may not pass out as a result.
As a result, you should only practice nangs while seated. Numerous injuries have occurred as a consequence of individuals fainting after inhaling nitrous oxide — there have even been instances of people dying as a result of collapsing (where they have fallen and struck their head).
Unfortunately, we live in a society where almost everything that makes you feel good has some sort of health danger attached to it. Laughing gas isn’t on the list either. However, it is classified as a low-risk drug, which means that it is not as dangerous as other substances.
As previously said, nitrogen can make individuals feel dizzy, queasy, or even cause vomiting.
Here are some of the other health hazards associated with recreational nitrogen oxide use:
· Taking it straight from a canister or cartridge might cause your mouth and airways to freeze. This can result in serious freezing wounds on the lips, mouth, and vocal chords.
· Excessive nitrogen inhalation might lead you to pass out and become unconscious.
· When you combine nitrogen oxide with other substances, you enhance your chances of having a terrible experience.
· When you have a cold, using nitrogen oxide might harm your mucous membranes. This can result in ear discomfort or, in the worst-case scenario, total hearing loss.
· Vitamin B12 deficiency is caused by long-term nitrogen usage. These deficits can result in neurological problems.
· Using nitrogen oxide that is not food-grade or intended for human consumption may expose you to extra hazards, however this is not entirely evident.
· Small metal particles may enter your lungs as a result of inhaling nitrogen gas.
B12 vitamin
Vitamin B12, also known as cyanocobalamin, is a vital ingredient that our systems utilize to produce red blood cells, repair bodily tissue, and maintain the health of our neurons.
Because nitrous oxide inactivates your body’s vitamin B12 sources, it can lead to a vitamin B12 shortage. However, because the B12 is still present in your body, a test will not reveal low amounts. This is especially crucial if you are a vegan or vegetarian, as your diet will already be deficient in B12.
B12 deficiency is dangerous and can cause long-term issues; symptoms include intense exhaustion or feeling weary all of the time, pins and needles or numbness in the fingers and toes, and muscular weakness, which can cause walking difficulties. If you’re performing nangs, we recommend taking a B12 supplement on a daily basis. You may purchase these over the counter as pills, or you may choose to have a B12 injection from your doctor.
To be extra safe, follow these Top Tips
Here are some general guidelines to assist you to reduce the health concerns associated with nitrogen gas usages:
· Use only pure, food-grade gas (like that found in cream chargers or crackers).
· Always use the balloon technique as described above to inject nitrogen. Never consume nitrogen straight from a container or cartridge.
· Never inhale the entire balloon. Consume nitrogen in tiny quantities.
· To prevent depriving your body of too much oxygen, take a deep breath before breathing the gas.
· Nitrogen should be kept in a cold, dark area. Never expose your cartridges to high temperatures or a bare flame because they may and will explode, potentially inflicting significant bodily injury.
· When using laughing gas, always sit down.
· Do not combine nitrogen with other chemicals such as alcohol or recreational drugs.
· Laughing gas should not be used if pregnant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do you even know how to produce whipped cream laughing gas?
If you really want nitrous oxide, use an entire carton of whipped cream and hold the end of the cream while releasing the gas into a balloon. When all of the gas has been expelled, open the can’s bottom and drain the delicious cream.
How is the Nos balloon made?
Nitric oxide is breathed in. People open the container, place the gas in a container (typically a balloon), and inhale via the container. Because the gas is at high pressure, inhaling nitrous oxide directly from the bottle is extremely harmful. It can trigger muscular spasms in the neck and make breathing difficult.
Is Laughing Gas Harmful?
If breathed in such a way that not enough oxygen is inhaled, death can ensue. Inhaling industrial-grade nitrous oxide is especially risky since it includes several pollutants and is not designed for human consumption.
Are Cream Chargers legal?
Nitrous oxide possession is legal under US federal law and is not subject to DEA inspection. However, it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. Its “misbranding” regulations, which prohibit the sale or distribution of nitrous oxide for human use, might result in punishment (the recreational drug use market). Nitrous oxide canisters are acceptable for extending the shelf life of whipped cream and other items. Such items can be purchased by anybody without authorization.
Is it possible to overdose on nitrous oxide?
Yes! Individuals who abuse nitrous oxide by inhaling it from containers easily exceed this safe ratio and can experience toxic and overdose effects after several minutes of continued exposure; however, due to the drug’s short half-life, nitrous oxide overexposure should dissipate quickly once the person stops breathing it in and breathes air. Inhaling the substance for more than a few minutes may result in major health issues. Chronic nitrous oxide usage (daily inhalation) can result in serious chronic problems, including dangerous exposure.
