Recent investigations reveal a troubling rise in nitrous oxide abuse across the United States, with Galaxy Gas emerging as a major player in this growing crisis. Marketed as a culinary product to exploit legal loopholes, nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas,” has gained popularity, particularly among young people. Disguised in brightly coloured cans and novelty flavours, this potent drug is easily accessible in smoke shops, online marketplaces, and even major retailers. However, the consequences of its widespread recreational use are causing increasing alarm.

The product’s surge in popularity began during the COVID-19 pandemic when users sought cheap, quick highs at home. Galaxy Gas, created by Georgia-based smoke shop chain Cloud 9, flooded the market with massive Candy-Flavoured nitrous tanks, sparking an epidemic nicknamed “legal crack”. Despite corporate claims that the brand targeted food enthusiasts, it found a foothold among impressionable young people—aided by its aggressive marketing strategies. Videos of influencers inhaling colourful tanks and music artists flaunting usage quickly made nitrous oxide a pop-culture phenomenon.

The health risks are severe. Heavy use leads to addiction, nerve damage, spinal-cord degeneration, paralysis, and even psychosis. Cases of fatal accidents caused by drivers high on nitrous have also been reported. For 25-year-old tattoo artist Kierstyn Milligan, frequent use of Galaxy Gas resulted in devastating physical and neurological harm. Her condition is one of many accounts highlighting the tragic consequences of normalising this drug.

Galaxy Gas’s creators marketed their product teetering on legal boundaries. Workers at Cloud 9 have shared concerns about selling devices tied explicitly to addiction. Customers with tremors, limps, and slurred speech would buy dozens of tanks, acknowledging their growing dependence to the staff. Employees witnessed increasingly younger patrons attempting to buy nitrous, sometimes pooling together money to afford it. With no meaningful federal regulation to prevent abuse, the substance is sold without limits.

The company’s marketing mirrored the deep irony of promoting an addictive substance under the guise of cooking culture. Employees recall being trained to insist their product was strictly for culinary use, even while corporate executives openly referred to it as “hippie crack.” Meanwhile, supervising staff instructed employees not to involve police when nitrous tanks were shoplifted—a practice reportedly common among customers desperate for a fix.

The consequences of these lax regulations are far-reaching. Studies show that widespread use has serious effects on motor control and mental health, with teens and young adults becoming some of the primary victims. The lack of federal oversight means the problem is expanding rapidly, as other brands rush to fill the gap following Galaxy Gas reportedly exiting the market in late 2023.

The explosion in nitrous oxide abuse serves as a stark reminder of the need for strict regulations and renewed focus on protecting public health. While Galaxy Gas may have exited the stage, competitors are filling the void, perpetuating the exploitation of vulnerable populations. Robust action must be taken to prioritise health and safety over profit.

Source: NyMag