What you need to know
- “Whippets,” or misused nitrous oxide, are a dangerous drug inhaled from whipped cream canisters or canisters sold at smoke shops.
- Using whippets can cause dizziness, fainting, impaired judgment and movement, and, in some cases, suffocation.
- Frequent use can lead to long-term problems like memory loss, nerve tingling and pain, and trouble walking.
“Whippets” is a slang term for misused nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas,” a sedative commonly used in medical and dental procedures. The name comes from whipped cream canisters, which use nitrous oxide to make the cream foamy. People who inhale, or “huff,” nitrous oxide may experience a brief “high,” but the practice can be dangerous—especially with repeated use.
Public Good News talked to experts about the risks of whippets.
How common is whippet use?
A 2024 survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that more than 14.5 million people in the U.S. ages 12 and older had tried whippets at least once, up from almost 13 million in 2019. Recreational nitrous oxide use also appears to be increasing. Between 2023 and 2024, America’s Poison Centers reported an approximately 60 percent increase in exposures.
Whippet use is especially popular among teens and young adults, whose developing brains may be at greater risk of harm.
Are whippets legal?
While whipped cream canisters can be legally purchased in all states and nitrous oxide is not federally classified as a controlled substance, using nitrous oxide recreationally is illegal in most states. Plus, selling it for recreational use is illegal nationwide. However, some smoke shops and other retailers sell large nitrous canisters, claiming the products are for “culinary use,” even when customers may be buying them for inhalation.
Larger canisters increase the risk of side effects and death since they contain much more nitrous oxide than whipped cream canisters. Some states have passed laws banning the sale of nitrous oxide canisters in places like smoke shops in an effort to curb recreational use.
What are the risks?
Nitrous oxide is safe when it’s used in medical procedures, but without supervision from health care providers, its effects can be dangerous.
“The main danger is that nitrous oxide is often perceived as harmless because it is legal, familiar, and used in medical or culinary settings,” Rachel Hoopsick, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, tells PGN. “But recreational inhalation can reduce oxygen to the brain.”
Using whippets can cause side effects like:
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Impaired judgment and coordination
- Headache
- Nausea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Irritability
“While the high may be brief, the risks can be serious, especially when people use large amounts, use repeatedly, or use in settings where no one is monitoring them,” Hoopsick explains.
Whippet use can also cause physical injuries, including severe cold burns.
“The gas is cooled, so when it comes out, it comes out really, really cold,” says Dr. Varun Vohra, a clinical toxicologist, senior and academic director of the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center, and associate professor at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. “Sometimes you can see frostbite injuries around the mouth.”
Cold-related injuries from whippet use can also affect the throat and vocal cords and may require surgery in severe cases.
Inhaling large amounts of nitrous oxide can lead to suffocation and death. In 2025, Hoopsick coauthored a study finding that nitrous oxide deaths in the U.S. increased by more than 500 percent between 2010 and 2023.
Whippets may also contribute indirectly to fatal incidents, like car crashes.
“People using [whippets] are getting into motor vehicle accidents or [getting] traumatic injuries because they were impaired,” Vohra says. “They can’t feel the pedals underneath their feet, or they [try to] break with the accelerator.”
Frequent whippet use can also cause vitamin deficiencies and reduce blood oxygen levels, potentially damaging the nervous system, muscles, and organs. Over time, this can lead to long-term problems like memory loss, nerve tingling and pain, and trouble walking.
What are the signs that my child or teen may be using whippets?
“If they have visible peri-oral [around the mouth] signs, like frostbite injuries, that could be one clue [someone is using whippets], or if they’re having trouble walking,” Vohra says.
Other signs that someone might be misusing nitrous oxide or other inhalants include:
- Chemical odors on breath or clothing
- Slurred speech
- A dazed appearance
- Short attention span
- Mood swings
Are whippets addictive?
Repeatedly chasing the “high” from whippets can lead to psychological dependence. People who frequently use whippets may also develop tolerance, meaning they need more nitrous oxide over time to achieve the same effects.
Some people may experience symptoms when they stop using whippets, like cravings, anxiety, and irritability.
If you’re concerned about your own drug use or that of a loved one, treatment and support resources are available from SAMHSA.