Nangs, Whippets, Nozzies or Bulbs – whatever you call them, these small canisters of nitrous oxide are used for recreational purposes. Inhaled, it gives a short high that lasts 20 seconds or so.
While they may seem harmless enough to pop in your bag for a music festival, there are some serious concerns that should be considered before you do.
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Origins
Nangs are small metal cylindrical bulbs filled with nitrous oxide gas. They’re also called laughing gas, whipped cream chargers or whippets and are used in whipped cream siphons to “charge”. The gas can then be inhaled for a high, or released into a balloon for a psychedelic experience.
The Nang Delivery Melbourne is popular with young people because it’s cheap and easy to use. It can also produce a quick and intense high, which can make people feel like they’re floating or in heaven. However, it’s also a dangerous drug that can cause nausea, dizziness and even coma.
The nang is an attractive option for teenagers because it’s easily available in Australia, where it costs $10 for a pack of 10. It’s also often sold in corner stores and late-night 7-Elevens. This makes it difficult for authorities to control or regulate. It’s also a very addictive drug and a recent global survey found that nangs are the seventh most popular drug behind caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.
Symptoms
Those familiar with nangs will know that they are small canisters of the gas nitrous oxide, used in whipping cream (it helps make it fluffy) and to increase engine performance in cars. This same gas is also used by dentists and doctors to administer anaesthetics.
When inhaled from the canister, it provides a very short-lived feeling of euphoria and lightheadedness. Users can feel giddy, dizzy and relaxed and may laugh a lot. It takes about one minute to kick in and then the effect is quickly over.
Heavy nang use can lead to long-term vitamin B12 deficiency, causing symptoms of fatigue, pins and needles in the hands and feet, difficulty walking and memory problems. It can also cause serious accidents if users try to open the lid while inhaling. If you suspect someone is having an adverse reaction to nangs, call triple zero 000 for help. Prohibition of drugs often merely leads to the development of illicit unregulated products that are much more dangerous than the banned drug.
Safety
Nangs are a legal, cheap and (relatively) safe way to spend an evening. They are available in most corner stores, and nang delivery services operate around the clock in major cities.
Also known as nitrous oxide or laughing gas, nangs contain an inhalable form of the same chemical used by dentists and doctors for general anaesthetics. They are usually dripped into balloons and inhaled by users to produce a short-lived feeling of euphoria, dissociation, floating sensations and uncontrollable laughter.
Nitrous oxide blocks oxygen to the brain, which can cause dizziness and temporary loss of motor control, so it’s important not to inhale while standing up. Two deaths in Australia have been linked to nang use – one at a music festival, and another when a schoolie fell from a balcony on the Gold Coast. Nangs are most popular with international students, who have easy access to them and may not understand the risks. The South Australian state government has started policing the supply of nangs, making it illegal to sell them from 10pm to 5am and prohibiting them from being sold to people under 18. The NSW and Victorian governments are examining similar measures.
Legality
The word ‘nangs’ is Australian slang for small canisters of nitrous oxide (N2O), often known as laughing gas. They are also called ‘crackers’, ‘bulbs’ or ‘whippets’ and are used recreationally at house parties and music festivals. Unlike most drugs, nitrous oxide isn’t broken down by the body so it passes straight through the bloodstream to affect the brain. This can cause short periods of euphoria, dizziness, changes in perception and a loss of coordination.
Nangs can be bought in Australia legally for around $10 a pack of ten. However, there are growing concerns that they are becoming more popular and are encouraging underage drug use. Cameron Francis, National Operations Manager for drug checking organisation The Loop, says prohibition didn’t work with alcohol and is unlikely to work with nangs either. He believes a crackdown on the sale of nangs in canisters would only drive people to find other ways to buy and use them, which could be dangerous.