Young people harmed by nitrous oxide use most likely to be Asian men – study

Study of patients in England with neurological damage related to laughing gas finds group overrepresented

Young people experiencing neurological harm after using laughing gas are most likely to be male and Asian, according to a small study of patients admitted to hospital in England.

Nitrous oxide is the second most common drug used by 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK. It is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters before being inhaled. Rishi Sunak recently announced plans to criminalise the drug.