What is nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas, commonly used in a variety of medical and industrial settings, from whipped cream canisters to rocket engines. It's probably most famous as a mild general anaesthetic. It was used for this purpose in surgical procedures throughout the Victorian era and continues to be used in dentistry today. Not long after it was first synthesised, people realised that inhaling it can produce feelings of euphoria and relaxation. This led to it being called "laughing gas".
It's this recreational use that has led to a rapid rise in popularity over the past decade. Last year alone, more than 500,000 people are reported to have used it. In part this comes down to accessibility. A single balloon of nitrous oxide is relatively cheap and is increasingly sold in a variety of locations like nightclubs, music festivals and busy town centres. The drug's widespread use can also be put down to the perception that it is low-risk and the mixture of curiosity and peer pressure that all young people experience.
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