So far this year, the number of calls about injuries related to laughing gas intoxication has doubled compared to 2023. The increase is particularly clear in the 15-19 age group, according to a press release from the Poison Information Centre.
This year alone, they have received 1,100 calls about laughing gas poisoning, a figure that is likely to increase during the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
The majority of the calls come from hospitals, which means that it can be really serious symptoms that have led to the person being admitted.
Repeated use of laughing gas can lead to numbness in arms and legs, difficulty walking, long-term memory impairment and confusion, as well as blood clots in the brain and lungs. Some end up in wheelchairs. Others get nerve damage that makes them urinate on themselves.
Laughing gas is currently legal to sell and buy, and there is no age limit. The government is preparing a bill that would make it illegal to sell laughing gas in larger quantities to private individuals and for intoxication purposes, and people under 18 should not be able to buy laughing gas at all.
The law can come into force at the earliest on January 1, 2026, according to the investigation.
