Topline
Young people posting videos and photos of themselves inhaling the drug known as whippets have been going viral on social media, and although nitrous oxide—the substance the drugs are made from—is legitimately used in several industries, experts warn abusing the drug can lead to lasting health effects like heart failure and nervous system damage.
Key Facts
Several viral videos of young people showing off their whippet canisters or talking about the drug have gone viral on social media, garnering millions of views and likes on TikTok.
One viral video—which has since-been deleted—showed a young man inhaling a whippet canister and answering the question “what’s your name, where you from” in a distorted voice, and the video’s virality led to users making parody videos using its sound.
Whippets are a type of inhalant drug made from nitrous oxide, and the substance is typically placed in canisters, balloons or plastic bags, and is inhaled to produce a short term high, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Nitrous oxide—also known as laughing gas—is notoriously known as a party drug, and has been used recreationally for centuries, but it’s also safely used as a dental sedative, and in car engines and food preparation.
The name whippet comes from nitrous oxide’s use in reusable whipped cream dispensers often found in restaurants, where it’s responsible for propelling the cream out of its container—the substance is not found in disposable whipped cream cans found in grocery stores.
Inhaling whippets can cause temporary intoxication and feelings of euphoria similar to the effects of alcohol, but because the high lasts for only a few minutes, it can cause users to repeatedly inhale the drug, leading to negative health effects, according to a 2023 study.
Are Whippets Illegal?
Because of its many legitimate uses, nitrous oxide is not illegal in the U.S. Whippets are not regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and aren’t controlled by the Controlled Substance Act. Nitrous oxide is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for human consumption under its Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. Although it hasn’t been made illegal by the federal government, several states have outlawed sales and recreational use of the substance. It’s a misdemeanor in California to use or possess nitrous oxide for the purpose of intoxication. It’s also illegal to sell the substance to anyone under the age of 18 in many states, like Arizona, California and Connecticut. In some states like Iowa it’s illegal for a person of any age to sell, use or possess nitrous oxide for the purpose of unlawfully inhaling the substance. Louisiana recently banned the recreational use and sale of nitrous oxide to people of any age in May, and the law went into effect on August 1. A 2021 New York state law banning the sale of “whipped cream charges” to anyone under 21 led to confusion, causing some grocery stores to ask for identification before selling whipped cream to customers, AP News reported. However, the senator that sponsored the bill clarified the law was intended to crack down on recreational whippet use and prevent the sale of just nitrous oxide cartridges, not whipped cream containers that can be purchased in grocery stores and don’t contain these cartridges.
What Are The Health Risks Of Whippets?
Although nitrous oxide is safe when used under medical care, recreational use may be harmful. Because the gas is quickly absorbed through the bloodstream and distributed to other parts of the body like the brain, there can be several lasting effects from long term use of the drug, according to the DEA. The effects include weight loss, depression, muscle weakness, disorientation, irritability, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, heart failure, irregular heartbeat and damage to the nervous system and other organs. Using nitrous oxide recreationally can lead to the degeneration of the spinal cord, according to a Springer study. Nitrous oxide may also damage blood cells, the liver and kidneys. There’s also the risk of overdose if a large amount is inhaled, a person has pre-existing conditions, or not enough oxygen is inhaled while using the drug, according to the Australia-based nonprofit Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
Why Is There A Rumor That Kanye West Uses Nitrous Oxide?
Milo Yiannopoulos, the former chief of staff of Yeezy, posted a screenshot of an alleged text message conversation between Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and the dentist Dr. Thomas Connelly to X earlier this month. In the texts, Ye allegedly asks Connelly for some “nitrus,” to which Connelly replies “can do.” Yiannopoulos claimed in his post Connelly agreed to deliver nitrous oxide to his “heavily addicted” patient, referencing Ye. Although neither Ye, nor Connelly have corroborated these claims, a resurfaced video of Ye giving a speech at the 2022 BET Awards saying he takes nitrous oxide has been making its rounds on social media. During the speech—which was to honor Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Lifetime Achievement award—Ye said he was at the dentist office the other day taking nitrous oxide, and he “suggests it if anybody’s, like, stressed out,” which was met by laughter from the crowd.
Key Background
The use of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug among teenagers and younger adults in North America, Europe and Australia is a growing concern that’s been rising since 2017, according to the United Nations’ 2023 World Drug Report. Around 13 million Americans aged 12 or older have misused nitrous oxide, according to a 2019 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Nitrous oxide was the 13th most used drug worldwide, and 22.3% of respondents reported using it, according to the 2021 Global Drug Survey. This is up almost 13% from the previous year. Most drug use fell during the pandemic except for nitrous oxide and “magic mushrooms,” according to the 2022 Global Drug Survey report. The 2022 report found the drug was more commonly used among people between 16 and 24—making up 70% of users—and its use consecutively decreased as the age groups increased.
Further Reading
New York law doesn’t ban minors from buying whipped cream (AP News)
Nitrous Nation: A Party Drug Endures (New York Times)
