Galaxy Gas: How a Legal High Is Harming American Youth

(SeaPRwire) –   Nitrous oxide can lead to serious harm, paralysis, and death. Why, then, is it more accessible to teenagers than energy drinks or cigarettes?

This is America’s emerging public health emergency, financed by corporate interests and overlooked by federal authorities.

Nitrous oxide has existed for decades and is utilized in numerous products, from whipped cream dispensers to automotive systems for increased performance. Commonly called ‘laughing gas,’ it is also used by dentists for patient sedation. Recently, however, nitrous oxide, sold under brands like ‘Galaxy Gas,’ has gained traction with young people seeking an inexpensive high.

While presented as a cooking accessory, Galaxy Gas is packaged in vibrant bottles with enticing flavors like Mango Smoothie, Strawberry Cream, and Vanilla Cupcake. The product—one of many brands selling nitrous oxide—has been promoted on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where influencers have misguided millions of youths in pursuit of a fast, cheap euphoric rush.

Numerous brands of nitrous oxide canisters are readily available online through major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and eBay. Although most sellers mandate buyers be at least 18, the products still frequently end up with teenagers (After reports of misuse, Galaxy Gas has halted direct website sales and is confronting regulatory scrutiny over health concerns).

Nationwide, over 25 million individuals aged 12 and older may have experimented with inhalants, per a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey. Data indicates that adolescents aged 12-17 use ‘whippets’ more frequently than those 18 and older.

Galaxy Gas tries to circumvent legal issues by printing on its canisters that “it is illegal to purposely inhale our product,” a warning that often tempts young, impressionable users to do the opposite. Whether in spite of or because of these labels, inhaling Galaxy Gas is turning into an epidemic across the U.S. and abroad, claiming more victims each year.

In February 2023, 24-year-old Ellen Mercer died in a UK hospital two weeks after being confined to bed from leg burns caused by a nitrous oxide canister. The coroner’s report cited substance abuse and a blood clot as the cause of death. The young woman, evidently addicted, reportedly inhaled two to three “big bottles” of the gas daily.

Meg Caldwell is another person who died from Galaxy Gas addiction. Caldwell started using the gas during the pandemic lockdowns. With little else to do, a few seemingly harmless hits appeared safe. Her family states her addiction rapidly escalated, destroying her life. She died at 23 from an overdose in a parking lot outside the smoke shop where she bought the gas. The Caldwell family is suing Galaxy Gas and other firms, accusing them of marketing the substance for recreational use under the guise of a culinary product.

A key factor in the danger is that users often inhale the gas straight from the canister nozzle.

“In medical settings, nitrous oxide is administered with a high flow of oxygen,” explains Dr. Bryan Baskin, Co-Director of Operations for Cleveland Clinic’s Emergency Services. “This safeguards patients from some of the gas’s hazardous effects. Recreational users aren’t taking such precautions. They are taking pure concentrations, which can be damaging, especially with frequent use.”

The nitrous oxide entering the body deprives the brain of oxygen, inducing a lightheaded, euphoric sensation lasting from seconds to several minutes. Users take a hit, enjoy the effect, and crave more, leading to misuse. Repeatedly chasing the high starves the brain and vital organs of necessary oxygen. At minimum, users can black out while inhaling, suffering injuries like concussions. More severe consequences exist.

As noted, most users inhale directly from the canister, a practice made perilous by basic physics. Galaxy Gas and similar products store nitrous oxide as a liquid under pressure, which releases at frigid temperatures. These temperatures are so low they can cause frostbite to the mouth and throat and even freeze lung tissue.

Long-term nitrous oxide users report significant nerve damage, memory issues, poor concentration, and lack of coordination. Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord can occur, resulting in complete paralysis. This no longer resembles a harmless recreational drug.

What is the government’s response? Tragically, very little. U.S. regulation of nitrous oxide is alarmingly inadequate. There is no FDA certification, no compulsory purity testing to rule out more dangerous contaminants, no limits on canister size, no import controls on cheaper, less-regulated versions from countries like China, and no guaranteed manufacturing or content standards for these bottles. The contents could include anything, such as heavy metal residue or hydrocarbons. A safety label does not ensure safety, just as a ‘do not inhale’ warning does not deter use.

The containers themselves are hazardous. They are pressurized metal canisters weighing two kilograms or more—essentially pipe bombs that provide a high. Internal pressure, manufacturing flaws, heat, or mishandling can cause explosive decompression. A faulty valve or seal can be fatal.

Perhaps most egregious is the product’s playful marketing, aimed at a young demographic less capable of distinguishing between what is healthy and what is lethal.

The U.S. government must now intervene and take strong action against the distributors of this dangerous product to prevent further premature deaths.