The National Police warn of the increasing popularity of ‘laughing gas’ in Marbella, where it has become the fashionable drug. Unfortunately, two people have already died from the consumption of nitrous oxide. There have also been several incidents in which several young people have nearly lost their lives; one of them jumped out of a moving car and jumped over a bridge on the A-7. Beyond the feeling of joy when breathing in ‘laughing gas’, experts warn that its health effects are dire .
What is ‘laughing gas’?
Nitrous oxide is a very powerful nervous system depressant , inhalation of which produces effects very similar to those of glue. Those who consume them seek a feeling of euphoria, which occurs because the gas itself deprives the blood, cells and tissues of the body of oxygen.
What are the health effects?
Health professionals explain that, when breathing nitrous oxide, the first reaction is irritation of the throat, eyes and nose. Shortly thereafter , the heart and breathing rates are reduced , as well as the blood pressure. There are also alterations in blood circulation.
The most common is that consumers are smiling and even suffer a fit of uncontrolled laughter that, in many cases, causes loss of consciousness, which compromises the nervous and pulmonary systems.
To all this must be added that the consumption of ‘laughing gas’ alters the pain threshold and the degree of alertness , which can significantly increase the risk of accidents or injuries.
The head of the Plan on Drugs and Other Addictive Behaviors of the Ministry of Health, Cleopatra R’Kaina, explains that the direct consequences of the consumption of ‘laughing gas’ are not as striking as those of heroin or cocaine, but this it does not mean that its effects are not serious. In addition, its consumption is usually accompanied by other drugs and alcoholic beverages .
Finally, it should be noted that according to the ‘Global Drug Survey’, nitrous oxide is the seventh most used recreational drug in the world. The countries in which it is most successful are the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands .
