Number of people seeking treatment for nitrous oxide misuse has more than doubled since 2022

THE NUMBER OF people presenting for treatment for nitrous oxide misuse has more than doubled since 2022.

Recreational use of nitrous oxide, which has surged in recent years, involves discharging gas from the canisters into a balloon before inhaling.

While the high from inhaling nitrous oxide is short-lived – lasting only for up to a minute – it can be detrimental to health.

Its usual effects can include dissociation and giddiness, while for some, headaches, dizziness or nausea.

But it can also cause devastating frostbite burns, as well as the potential for paralysis and suffocation.

The HSE’s National Drugs Treatment Reporting System started recording nitrous oxide misuse presentations to addiction treatment services in 2022.

In 2022, there were 30 incidents of problematic use of nitrous oxide being recorded either as a main problem drug or as an additional problem drug.