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What is Galaxy Gas? -

Galaxy Gas is a brand name for containers filled with nitrous oxide. It is marketed for culinary purposes such as making whipped cream.

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What are the names for nitrous oxide? -

Nitrous oxide is also known by other names such as laughing gas, nitro, N2O, NOS, and more. In the US, it is commonly referred to as a whippet or whippit due to its association with whipped cream. 

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What are its intended uses? -

Nitrous oxide has beneficial uses when used correctly by a professional. For example, it is used in medical, dental, and veterinary settings.

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What is a whippet? -

Many people, namely teenagers, will recreationally inhale the gas outside of a medical professional's supervision. This trend has been around for a long time, but the Galaxy Gas brand of whippet has been spotted on social media in recent months.

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How do people use whippets? -

To inhale the nitrous oxide drug, a person will breathe in the fumes from a closed source. For example, they may release the gas from the pressurized canister into a balloon and then inhale it.

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How long does the whippet high last? -

Whippet highs happen within ten seconds and can last for a few minutes. A user might inhale a larger quantity or repeat the process frequently to extend the effects.

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What does nitrous oxide do to the body? -

Nitrous oxide can make you feel joyful, happy, and even excited. Your mind may feel separate from your body momentarily, creating a floating sensation.

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Altered senses - Additionally, your pain tolerance is heightened and your ability to sense things including pain, sound, or touch is lowered.

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Hallucinations - When doing a whippet with Galaxy Gas or nitrous oxide, you might also have visual and auditory hallucinations. This is even more common when other drugs are also involved.

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How dangerous is nitrous oxide in the short term? -

Nitrous oxide symptoms can depend on your weight, overall health, how much of the nitrous oxide you use, and if you’ve mixed it with other drugs. Some side effects include a tingling sensation, weakness in the legs, and dizziness or tiredness.

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How dangerous is nitrous oxide in the short term? -

Other symptoms that could occur are an irregular heartbeat, slurred speech, a lack of balance or coordination, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, and headaches.

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How dangerous is nitrous oxide in the long term? - Whippets can cause many long-term effects including brain and liver damage, hearing loss, kidney damage or failure, and a loss of coordination.

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How dangerous is nitrous oxide in the long term? - Additional symptoms range from breathing trouble, bone marrow damage, heart rate disruptions, and issues with behavioral development.

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Whippets and pregnancy -

Nitrus oxide is dangerous to use while pregnant and can lead to birth defects. 

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How common is it? - A 2022 survey from the US Government Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality tells us that 13.9 million Americans twelve and older, or about 4.9% of the US population, have misused nitrous oxide in their lives.

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Is nitrous oxide legal? - Yes, nitrous oxide is legal in the US. It has many legitimate uses and is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for human consumption.

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Is nitrous oxide legal? -

However, states such as Arizona, California, and Connecticut made it illegal to sell nitrous oxide to anyone under 18 years old. Other states have banned the recreational use of nitrous oxide.

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Do whippets show up on drug tests? - It can be difficult to detect nitrous oxide in a urine test given that it metabolizes in the body relatively quickly and has a half-life of only a few minutes.

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Do whippets show up on drug tests? - Inhalants like nitrous oxide can be detected in hair. With hair tests, you can detect drug use for up to 90 days or possibly longer depending on the length of the hair sample that is collected. 

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Are whippets addictive? - Whippets can be addictive in the sense that users, especially younger ones, become addicted to the sense of euphoria. However, you can not become physically dependent on whippets, unlike alcohol or opioids.

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Signs of a whippet overdose - It is possible to overdose on whippets. Symptoms to keep an eye out for include loss of consciousness or irregular heartbeat.

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Signs of a whippet overdose - Another symptom of nitrous oxide or whippet overdose is seizures. If this occurs, someone must call for an ambulance immediately and be forthcoming with authorities about what’s happening.

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Signs someone is abusing whippets -

There are many signs someone may be abusing whippets and nitrous oxide. They might act dazed as if they’re intoxicated or drunk, and they might have a “huffers rash” which is when red spots or sores form around the mouth.

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Drug paraphernalia -

If you see drug accessories such as empty metal cylinders or balloons lying around, it could be an indicator.

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Physical side effects - If someone you love or know is often complaining of chronic headaches or is having trouble walking, these could be signs along with the other physical symptoms previously mentioned. 

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Changes in mood and behavior -

Another tell-tale sign is if their breath smells like chemicals. They may become moody and irritable, and start to be absent from school or work.

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How is abusing nitrous oxide handled? -

One way to handle substance abuse is to seek treatment such as detox. This is when an individual rids themselves of substances and experiences withdrawal symptoms while being professionally and medically monitored.

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How is abusing nitrous oxide handled? -

One form of therapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help patients recognize and deal with the feelings they experience before misusing nitrous oxide.

Sources: (American Addiction Centers) (USA Today Life) (WebMD) (BBC) (Alcohol and Drug Foundation) (Forbes) (Clevland Clinic) (Bright Future Recovery)

See also: The most harmful drugs in the world

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