ROCHESTER, N. Y. — In New York, you should still be able to purchase a can of whipped cream if you’re under 21.
A whippet, also known as a whip-it, is a tiny nitrous oxide-filled charger used to aerosolize the dessert topping, but you can’t buy one.
On Monday afternoon, Democratic state Sen. To clarify the purpose of a law he sponsored to address the issue of teenagers getting high by inhaling nitrous oxide from whippets, Joseph Addabbo released a statement.
Addabbo stated in an email that “the language and intent of the bill have been misunderstood.” He clarified that contrary to what has been reported by a number of media outlets, the measure is not intended to stop those under 21 from purchasing cans of whipped cream. Instead, it focuses on the sale of whippets, which are sold either singly or in packs, in order to refuel refillable whipped cream canisters.
Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is a sedative for dental and medical procedures that promotes momentary euphoria and dissociation.
According to reports, a convenience store in the Capital Region of New York informed customers that as of Aug 12, it would only allow those 21 and older to purchase whipped cream cans.
In a previous statement, Addabbo, who represents the central and southeast parts of Queens, claimed he had received complaints from constituents about empty whippet chargers strewn throughout the area. He said: “This law will help to clean up our neighborhoods while helping to protect our youth from the dangers of this deadly chemical.”
An image of a sign posted at a Stewart’s Shop convenience store announcing the change in policy started going viral online, and an Albany TV station covered it before it was covered by other media.
According to the law, anyone who sells a whippet to a person under the age of 21 risks a $250 fine for a first offense and a $500 fine for each subsequent violation.
What are whippets?
Whippets are small cartridges that contain nitrous oxide, whose recreational use dates back to the late 1770s.
“Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound that is classified in medicine as a dissociative anesthetic and is frequently used as a sedative during medical procedures,” says Dr. Clinician Michelle Forcier works for the LGBTQ+ telehealth provider FOLX Health. When inhaled recreationally, the substance can induce feelings of euphoria, confusion, and floating; it can also depress all sensations and separate the user from themselves and their surroundings. According to Forcier, it can also affect perception and coordination, though the specific high can vary from person to person based on usage.
“Because obtaining whippets is easier compared to obtaining other illegal drugs, they are frequently used by teens and young people,” Forcier said. This is partly due to the drug’s wide availability; besides being used in products as common as whipped cream, you’ll often find them being sold in smoke and sex shops. Their use is particularly popular for teens between the ages of 12 to 17 years old, who were almost two times as likely to have used whippets than young adults ages 18 to 25, according to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Users will puncture a container to release the gas to be inhaled; it is typically sold in small aluminum containers known as “chargers” (so named for the way they “charge” a whipping cream dispenser with the gas, thus aerosolizing and whipping the contents). Chargers can be opened and released into balloons, bags, whipped cream dispensers, and other objects. It’s crucial to remember that opening canisters without a proper rig can be extremely dangerous. “Intense pressures released can cause the canisters to explode and rupture the lungs,” Forcier warned.
Whippets are frequently used by people to enhance their euphoric effects during nights out. Some people take whippets or even a hit right before having an orgasm to intensify their sexual pleasure.
The drug’s effects start right away and last for several minutes. Although it is legal to buy all the supplies needed to make whippets, doing so recreationally is not permitted. Because of this, it is crucial to understand how to use these materials safely and any potential side effects before dabbling.
The drug can be addictive, but not in the way you might be used to. Using nitrous oxide repetitively over a prolonged time period can cause you to develop a psychological dependence on the drug; though you won’t face any significant withdrawal symptoms, apart from cravings to use more nitrous. “Whippets are not addictive in the classic sense that narcotics are addictive, and do not target or affect the same brain receptors and chemistries,” says Forcier. “However, when a substance gets in the way of healthy functioning, activities and relationships then treating it as an addiction might be useful.”Most Popular
Why Are Whippets Dangerous?
Whippet high users experience diminished judgment and motor control, which can lead them to fall from balconies or stumble into oncoming traffic. Others have suffered heart failure, suffocation or seizures. The effects of an overdose may include hallucinations or coma. Occasionally, a metal whippet container explodes with disastrous effect.
However, the majority of the harm caused by whippets builds up slowly and only manifests as obvious issues after repeated inhalations. Although nitrous oxide/inhalant addiction is less researched than many other dependence disorders, it does exist and is known to cause withdrawal symptoms like heavy sweating, pounding heart, nausea, insomnia, hallucinations, and seizures. Users do continue to use the substance.
What Is a Whippet?
Nitrous oxide used as a recreational inhalant is referred to in modern slang as “whippets” (also spelled “whippits” or “whip-its”) The term is derived from the whipped-cream aerosol canisters that people crack open to access the gas inside.
Being easy to obtain from legitimately purchased products, whippets now rank among the top 10 most abused drugs in the world. And although many places have laws against selling nitrous oxide to minors, teenagers under 18 are a top user demographic.
