What is nitrous oxide? TikTok trend puts spotlight on how kids are abusing laughing gas.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There's a dangerous new trend for a cheap and easy-to-get high. It's been around for years but it's making a comeback.
It's sometimes called whippets or hippie crack or just plain laughing gas. It's been around for literal centuries, but now, thanks to all the vape shops popping up, and even online buying, it's getting easier than ever to get, especially for young kids.
Getting high by "whiffing" nitrous oxide is a dangerous new trend on TikTok and social media. It's legal to buy but not legal to use as a high.
With just a few clicks, you can order it, even on Amazon. Pay the $36, and it's delivered in a few days.
Nitrous oxide itself is nothing new; it's laughing gas, like a dentist uses. It's also used in several other medical procedures, but in those cases, it's 30% nitrous oxide and 70% oxygen and it's used under medical supervision. And yes, it's the same ingredient used in whipped cream. Now kids are buying it online or in vape shops and using it as an inhalant.
Nitrous oxide can give extreme feelings of euphoria, an increase in feelings of happiness and a mild rush of energy.
KDKA-TV's Barry Pintar asked college students on Monday what they thought about the trend.
"I think there should be legislation about it. I think there should be some type of regulation on it or just like entirely banning it altogether, like banning flavored nicotine, ban that the same way," Point Park student Jaiden Derbish said.
Maybe the most popular nitrous oxide available, known as Galaxy Gas, can be found on its website and even though a screen pops up first where you have to promise not to misuse it, just scroll down and there are flavors like mango, tropical punch and blueberry.
Online chat sites freely talk about the best brands to buy, giving the most highs. But do people realize how dangerous it is?
"That's one thing that you know like you don't touch it, because like there's like horror stories about it. There's gotta be a way to like maybe get them away from that without like going to the point of being like 'show you ID to get whipped cream' or something," said Point Park student Kyla Dean.
In a Yale study done just a few months ago, stats are showing that over in the U.K., kids are abusing nitrous oxide second only to cannabis and the U.S. is not far behind. Now people are asking if it's time for lawmakers to step in.