WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are tracking a rise in injuries tied to the misuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, including some brands that are sold in small canisters containing flavors like blueberry, strawberry and watermelon.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned consumers that inhaling the gas for its euphoric effects can cause dangerously low blood pressure, leading to loss of consciousness and injuries. The agency flagged a number products sold in colorful packaging at gas stations, vape shops and online including Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas and MassGass.
Nitrous gas is traditionally used as a sedative for patients in dental offices and hospitals. It’s also found in pressurized cans of whipped cream. But teens and adults have long misused those products to get high. The gas can briefly disrupt oxygen flow to the brain.
Companies selling the products cited by regulators advertise them “for culinary use only” and often include disclaimers on their websites warning against inhaling. But videos of young people using the products recreationally have circulated on social media platforms for years.
The FDA said it has seen “an increase in reports of adverse events” with nitrous products. And poison control centers have also reported emergency calls from people who had to be rushed to the hospital after collapsing while misusing the products.
There are no federal limits on who can purchase nitrous oxide, although some states have passed minimum age requirements. The FDA regulates the gas as a medical product when used by doctors and dentists, although it’s unclear how much oversight it would have of products marketed for culinary use.
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