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There are some things in life that simply aren’t worth taking a chance on.
Recreational nitrous oxide should be one of them.
Mining Journal readers recently learned that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is warning residents about increasing misuse of nitrous oxide, commonly known by names such as "laughing gas," "whippets," "balloons," "Galaxy Gas" and "NOS."
The problem isn’t that nitrous oxide exists. It has legitimate uses in medicine, dentistry and food preparation. The problem is what happens when people treat it like harmless entertainment.
And there is nothing harmless about losing consciousness, suffering neurological problems, having difficulty breathing or ending up in a hospital because of a substance that was used for a few moments of recreation.
Michigan’s numbers should get our attention. Reported nitrous oxide cases increased from just 10 in 2019 to 47 in 2025. State officials expect the number to be even higher in 2026. Of 112 cases identified between 2024 and May 2026, more than one-third required hospitalization. Seven percent required intensive care. Nearly half produced medically significant outcomes.
Those aren’t statistics from some distant place. They’re Michigan residents.
And the products aren’t difficult to find.
Nitrous oxide products are sold at grocery stores, smoke shops, vape stores, gas stations, convenience stores and online. Some come in colorful packaging and flavored varieties that can make them look more like an ordinary consumer product than a substance capable of causing serious harm.
That is precisely why people need to understand the difference between being available for purchase and being safe to misuse.
Health officials say repeated or heavy recreational use can result in neurological, psychiatric and blood-clotting complications. Warning signs include numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, trouble walking, balance problems, confusion, anxiety, sudden mood changes, loss of consciousness and breathing difficulties. There are other dangers, too. Nitrous oxide can cause frostbite and asphyxiation, while impaired judgment can turn an already dangerous situation into a serious injury.
Large flavored cylinders are particularly concerning because they can allow users to inhale larger quantities of the gas over longer periods. This is where parents and other adults need to pay attention.
Don’t assume a brightly packaged product is harmless because it is sitting on a store shelf. Don’t assume young people understand the risks simply because the product is readily available. And don’t dismiss unexplained neurological or behavioral symptoms without considering whether substance use could be involved.
The old-fashioned advice still applies: If you don’t know what something can do to your body, don’t put it in your body.
There is no shortage of legitimate reasons to use nitrous oxide. There is considerably less reason to use it as a recreational drug.
"Laughing gas" may sound harmless. The consequences, however, can be anything but funny.