If you’ve watched an episode of HBO’s “Girls,” you might recall one from Season 2 where Hannah and Jessa join two boys for a convertible joyride through the countryside. However, things quickly go awry when the group begins taking turns inhaling gas from the end of whipped cream cans. That scene is just one of many in movies and television that have made whippets into an infamous part of popular culture in search of a giddy, fleeting high.
The gas is a fairly common party drug that can make you feel euphoric, loopy, and confused, but what are whippets? Whippet use, however, comes with risks, and most people are unable to determine the exact chemical makeup of the drug.
Nitrous oxide, also known as “whippets” or “whip-its,” is a colorless gas with a sweet aftertaste that is used in many everyday household items. Nitrous oxide can be inhaled for a warm, tingling effect that can make you feel “happy drunk.” The drug is very accessible and affordable, which contributes to its popularity. In 2020, youth were drawn to the gas more than any other age group, with 26% of eighth-graders and 40% of tenth-graders being at risk of using the drug regularly.
Simple household items like whipped cream cans and sprayable cooking oil contain the gas, which is also available in over-the-counter canisters. Nitrous oxide is even used to make nitro coffee. Depending on how much you inhale, the effects of using an inhalant can last for up to a few minutes.
Read on for our comprehensive guide to the drug if you’ve ever had questions about whippets, their legality, their dangers, or how to use them safely.
What you need to know about NANGS
Whatever you call it—Nangs, whip-its, charges, bulbs, Nos, laughing gas—there are many things about this drug that dentists, pastry chefs, and doofus alike enjoy that you don’t know. Although anecdotal reports suggest eating whipped cream can result in feelings of euphoria, elation, and nausea, nitrous is not permitted for use to obtain a high.
If you don’t know much about nangs, you may have only seen empty steel cartridges lying around a dance floor, heard someone’s tent screech, or thought your fellow partygoers who appear to be blowing up a lot of balloons were just putting the finishing touches on their campsite decorations
Nitrous oxide has been used in race car engines since the 1960s, whipped cream since the 1930s, and as a painkiller and anesthetic in dentistry and surgery since the 1840s despite being primarily known as a party drug in our circles. Yes, nitrous oxide was used recreationally for more than 40 years before it was used for anything else, but the British upper class were the ones who first used it, puffing bags full of it during “laughing gas parties” in the 1790s.
While nitrous oxide is among the most efficient and secure medications needed in a healthcare system, according to the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Drugs, recreational use is not always risk-free. To make sure that you are looking after yourself while partying, you should be aware of a number of potential risks.
Long Term Side Effects
There is scant evidence that laughing gas use in moderation can have serious long-term side effects.
The majority of the side effects you experience should disappear quickly if you inhale the gas responsibly. However, deliberate misuse of N2O or prolonged exposure to the gas may result in various health risks.
Side Effects of Inhaling Nitrous Oxide
In addition to the health risks already mentioned, you should be concerned about the following negative effects:
FAQ
How do you use nitrous oxide with a whipped cream dispenser?
Whipping cream dispensers are one of the most widely used methods of preparing whippets. Although all ingredients used to make whippets, such as whipped cream canisters, are acceptable, eating them is not. The Psychoactive Substances Act of 2016 makes it illegal in all states to use Nitrous Oxide canisters for recreational purposes.
How do you use a whipped dispenser?
- Laughing Gas Cracker. …
- A Cream Charger. …
- NOS Balloon. …
- Step 1: Filter the N2O Cartridge. …
- Step 2: Unscrew the Cracker or Cream Charger Holder. …
- Step 2: Place the balloon inside of a cracker or a cream whipper.
- Step 3: Release the Gas Into the Balloon. …
- Step 4: Breath from the Balloon.
