Nitrous Oxide Deaths in America Are Surging

A common sedative sometimes taken to get high is becoming deadlier. Research out this week finds that annual U.S. deaths caused by nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or whippits, have significantly spiked over the past decade and a half.

Researchers at the University of Mississippi and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted the study, an analysis of mortality data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They found that yearly reported nitrous oxide deaths rose by roughly 500% between 2010 and 2023. Though the death toll from this drug is still low overall, the study indicates that recreational nitrous oxide use is becoming a bigger problem, the researchers say.

The “findings underscore a growing public health concern and the need for enhanced surveillance and prevention efforts,” they wrote in the paper, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open.

Nitrous oxide gas is routinely used in medicine as a sedative and anesthetic (perhaps most notably at the dentist’s office). And it’s a common propellant with many uses, including in whipped cream. People also use it recreationally to induce euphoric, if short-lasting, effects. These users often get nitrous oxide from whipped cream canisters, giving rise to the drug’s common nickname of “whippets” or “whippits.”

Other studies have suggested that nitrous oxide misuse in the U.S. has increased over time, but according to the authors, there’s still little we know about the deaths that this misuse is causing. Though the effects of nitrous oxide are typically short-lasting, misuse can lead to oxygen deprivation, low blood pressure, seizures, and even heart attacks. Chronic use also saps the body of vitamin B-12, which can cause paralysis and permanent neurological damage.

The researchers examined death certificate data sent to the CDC. In 2010, they uncovered 23 reported deaths associated with nitrous oxide poisoning among people between the ages of 15 and 74. By 2023, there were 156 such deaths—a fivefold jump. Annual nitrous oxide deaths continued to increase significantly until 2018 and have since plateaued.

According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, at least 13 million Americans have used nitrous oxide recreationally in their lifetime. But the growing popularity of consumer nitrous oxide products has likely driven a surge in recreational use, the researchers say. These products are commonly sold online or in stores as whipped cream chargers or similar culinary products with colorful names like “Galaxy Gas.” People on social media outlets like TikTok have encouraged the use of these products as part of viral challenges, though TikTok and other platforms have recently taken action to stop these challenges from spreading (at least some teens may still be finding workarounds to see the posts, though).

The study researchers say that more should be done to educate Americans, especially children, about the dangers of the drug when misused and to mitigate its harm however possible.

“This is not local to one area; it’s everywhere,” said study researcher Andrew Yockey, University of Mississippi assistant professor of public health, in a statement from the university. “And it absolutely deserves national surveillance. The numbers are still small right now, but they’re growing, and they’re growing fast.”

The Food and Drug Administration has also spotted an increase in reported adverse events related to nitrous oxide. In March 2025, the agency issued a warning to the public to stop using these products recreationally, which it updated in June with more brands to avoid.