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TOPLINE:

US deaths related to poisoning from the inhalant drug nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or whippets, increased from 23 in 2010 to 156 in 2023 in a new study. Although mortality rates plateaued after 2019, the findings highlight a concerning trend in recreational use of this drug, researchers noted.

METHODOLOGY:

• In this cohort study, researchers obtained death certificate data from 2010 to 2023 using the CDC Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research multiple causes of death database.
• The analysis included the annual number of deaths involving nitrous oxide poisoning and age-adjusted overdose mortality rates per 100,000 population among US residents aged 15-74 years.
• Causes of death were categorized as accidental/unintentional poisoning, intentional self-poisoning/suicide, assault/homicide, and undetermined intent.

TAKEAWAY:

• From 2010 to 2023, a total of 1240 deaths were attributed to nitrous oxide poisoning among people aged 15-74 years in the US, with the number of deaths increasing from 23 in 2010 to 156 in 2023.
• The crude rate of deaths involving nitrous oxide poisoning increased from 0.01 deaths per 100,000 population in 2010 to 0.06 deaths per 100,000 population in 2023.
• The crude nitrous oxide poisoning rate increased significantly from 2010 to 2018 (annual percentage change [APC], 24.5%; P < .001).
• However, there was no significant increase in the crude mortality rate from 2019 to 2023 (APC, 3.6%).

IN PRACTICE:

These nitrous oxide-related mortality patterns “align with increasing recreational use, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Contributing factors may include increased availability and low cost, although these were not assessed directly,” the investigators wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by R. Andrew Yockey, PhD, School of Applied Sciences, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi. It was published online on July 30 in JAMA Network Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The study was limited by suppression of small cell counts, exclusion of nonresident deaths, and potential underreporting if nitrous oxide was not tested. The lack of disaggregated data prevented analyses by age or intent. 

DISCLOSURES:

The investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.