No Laughing Matter: UK schoolchildren suffer severe health issues as nitrous oxide abuse grows

London: School children in UK are reportedly using Laughing gas to get high due to which a sudden spike in hospitalisations has been reported, prompting the government to come up with stricter regulations around the use and sale of the gas. At present, if reports are to believe, buying a canister of nitrous oxide is as easy as buying a loaf of bread in UK. Data provided by the London Ambulance Service show that 999 calls for incidents relating to nitrous oxide more than tripled in a year, with 65 calls recorded in 2021, and 213 in 2022, up from 36 calls in 2018. An investigative report by the Sky news featured 20-year-old Musa who was recently hospitalised for his Nitrous oxide abuse. Musa, not his actual name, was carefree a few weeks ago, enjoying with his friends and contemplating his future. He is currently dealing with the possibly drastic effects of his nitrous oxide addiction. Nitrous oxide, also referred to as “laughing gas” or “nos,” can make people feel lightheaded and dizzy for 30 seconds, but the gas is not to be taken lightly. Although nitrous oxide is legally used in hospitals, dental offices, and professional kitchens, it is prohibited from being supplied for its psychoactive affects.

According to reports, only four individuals have been detained in connection with nitrous oxide in the West Midlands since the Psychoactive Substances Act was passed in 2016, despite the fact that suppliers are subject to fines and prison sentences of up to seven years. Musa was taken urgently to the hospital after he got up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and stumbled. He had no sensation in his legs or feet, so he was unable to stand up again. Musa had been ingesting multiple big canisters of nitrous oxide almost every day in the weeks prior. His MRI scan reveals a spinal cord abnormality, which doctors are unable to predict when or to what degree it will resolve. Musa fears that his paralysis might persists forever. Musa claims that purchasing laughing gas canisters from neighbourhood stores is as simple as purchasing a loaf of bread. Residents of his neighbourhood spoke to Sky News about seeing school-age children loitering outside of these stores and inhaling the poisonous gas. Sky News therefore went incognito to find out how simple it is to purchase. According to the report, the correspondent approached the first store’s counter and requested a canister. The lady responded, “Sure, but which one? The largest? “. She reached below the counter and pulled out a canister the size of a hairspray can, put it in a bag, and offered a receipt for £30. The next store they went, had a stack of nitrous oxide canisters through a door in the rear. The shopkeeper demanded a bag and placed the canister inside without asking any questions. The stores added a package of party balloons, which are frequently used to inhale the gas, without asking the reporters how old they were or what they planned to do with the nitrous oxide. The Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust’s clinical lead for neurology, Dr. David Nicholl, claims that he encounters dozens of patients between the ages of 16 and 24 who are admitted to his ward each month for nitrous oxide abuse. He claims that this is a significant increase from prior years and that admissions have gone up since big canister companies started to overtake the market in 2021.

Other cities have seen a similar increase. Abuse of laughing gas can result in a variety of issues, including loss of movement, issues with one’s mental health, and sexual dysfunction. The doctor admitted that two nitrous oxide patients even required the placement of drains inside their heads in order to preserve their vision. Nitrous oxide has been implicated in the deaths of 62 people since 2001. The effects can be fatal in extremely severe instances. “I see a patient who had a stroke from cocaine use maybe once every five or six years. However, I observe this in my neighbourhood on a weekly basis. Therefore, in my opinion, this is a worse issue,” he said. Dr. Nicholl wants to see stricter regulation of suppliers because she is aware of the easy access to toxic gas in corner stores. Chris Philp, the minister of police, has asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to offer recommendations on how to combat nitrous oxide misuse by the end of February. Musa declares, “It shouldn’t be allowed, not at all.” “There’s been times I’ve been in a vehicle with a balloon bigger than the size of my head.” The government has until the end of the month to begin developing a remedy, but any action it may take will be too late for individuals like Musa. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .