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Michigan sees rise in ER visits for Nitrous Oxide use
FOX 2 photojournalist Coulter Mitchell had no problem finding it at the first smoke shop she visited. All you need is a way to pay and to be 18 years old. They're marketed to young people and are used by inhaling the canister to get high. Dr. Varun Vohra with the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center shared the statistics.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Nitrous oxide, also known as "whippets," is being used and abused by teens and young adults, leading to a sharp rise in hospitalizations and worse.
Big picture view:
Nitrous oxide tanks are sold legally at gas stations and smoke shops. FOX 2 photojournalist Coulter Mitchell had no problem finding it at the first smoke shop she visited. All you need is a way to pay and to be 18 years old.
They're marketed to young people and are used by inhaling the canister to get high.
Dr. Varun Vohra with the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center shared the statistics.
"The most severe cases you'll see are paralysis and people having to relearn how to walk. Those are the extreme cases. By and large, we're seeing patients who present with neurological symptoms — weakness, numbness, tingling," said Vohra.
Dig deeper:
In Michigan, from 2019 to 2023, there were 14 deaths involving nitrous oxide. ER visits for people who used nitrous oxide jumped from 10 to 60, and 911 response calls increased 420%. Those numbers are likely low.
"Obviously, at the poison center, we aren't capturing every single case across the state because calls to the center are voluntary. They're passive, secondhand reports, either from users, parents, or healthcare professionals when they encounter these types of situations," said Vohra.
What's next:
Dr. Vohra is hoping state lawmakers will consider an outright ban on recreational sales and leave nitrous oxide to be used in medical settings, for culinary purposes, or in the auto industry.
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