New research also finds spike in spinal cord damage among Irish teens linked to nitrous oxide use
There was an almost four-fold increase in the number of people being treated for the addictive use of volatile inhalants such as aerosols and nitrous oxide in a three-year period, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
In 2021, the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) reported 28 cases of people receiving addiction treatment for the inappropriate use of these inhalants. In 2024, this number rose to 108.
Of that latter figure, 54 were cases related to the use of nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as ‘laughing gas’, which is used medically for anaesthesia and pain relief, and in industry, mostly in food processing.
The use of the gas for recreational purposes is a relatively new phenomenon – so much so that, in 2021, no cases of patients receiving addiction treatment for its use this way were recorded in Ireland.
“Among cases entering treatment for nitrous oxide in 2024, 22 per cent were aged 14 or under, 35 per cent were 15 to 17 years, and 43 per cent were aged 18 or over,” said Deirdre Mongan, research officer with the Health Research Board (HRB).
She told the Oireachtas Committee on Drug Use that common health harms related to the use of these substances include nitrous oxide-induced myeloneuropathy, an umbrella term for the neurological harm caused by vitamin B12 deficiency arising from nitrous oxide use.
“The most common presenting symptom is tingling or numbness, primarily in the lower limbs, with other symptoms including gait disturbance, ataxia, and bladder and bowel dysfunction,” she said.
“Nitrous oxide can trigger psychological symptoms and primary psychiatric presentations, including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, or acute psychosis.”
While there are no national figures on the number of hospitalisations caused by nitrous oxide use, Tallaght University Hospital recorded 18 patients presenting with nitrous oxide-associated myeloneuropathy between October 2022 and July 2024.
The Committee meeting began with an opening statement from Dermot Maguire, whose 14-year-old son Daniel died last year after inhaling fumes from an aerosol deodorant. The inhalation had caused a blood clot which cut off oxygen supply to the brain.
“I don’t think Daniel even knew he died,” he said. “He fainted, and that was it. And for a simple, simple thing – deodorant.”
Mr Maguire said he would like to see larger and more prominent warning labels on deodorant cans alerting the public to the dangers of inhalation.
His family is also in discussions with major Irish retailers on the issue of banning under-16s from purchasing aerosols. He also hopes that more can be done in schools to educate children and young people of the dangers of inhaling these toxic fumes.
Consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Prof Bobby Smyth also updated the Committee on steps being taken to inform the public of the dangers associated with the use of inhalants.
He said that the recreational use of inhalants has evolved over the years, and is now seen ‘across all strands of society’.
“While historically attention focused primarily on certain at-risk populations and people who had high levels of risk factors that seemed associated with drug use, the current situation is certainly more complex than this view of the past,” he said.
“Young people are navigating a very different social context. As a result, it’s hard to predict what young person will use and be at risk of harm across our society.”
He said that in recent years the HSE has published information on the harms caused by inhalants like nitrous oxide online and through factsheets and information-led webinars for parents and the wider public.
“As we approach the new National Drug Strategy, prevention and education should be prioritised to build the sustainable national infrastructure for drug prevention, which requires resourcing, training, staff support, research and evaluation, of course, to make sure what we’re doing is actually effective,” he added.
New research finds spike in spinal cord damage among Irish teens linked to nitrous oxide use
Young people in Ireland are increasingly being diagnosed with spinal cord damage from recreational use of nitrous oxide.
The study showed that cases of spinal cord damage caused by nitrous oxide have spiked significantly since the pandemic.
No such cases were recorded at Beaumont Hospital between 2012 and 2020; however, 14 cases were diagnosed between 2021 and the end of 2024 with the median age of patients being just 20 years old.
Nitrous oxide can interfere with the body’s ability to process vitamin B12, leading to a condition called subacute combined degeneration (SACD) of the spinal cord. Symptoms include numbness in the hands or feet and difficulty with balance and coordination.
“Increasingly teenagers, many of whom may not use other substances, are inhaling laughing gas canisters as they consider it a bit of harmless fun” said Prof Seamus Looby of the RCSI, who led the study.
“But what we’re seeing tells a different story. The rise in cases of spinal cord damage since the pandemic is alarming and we hope it prompts greater awareness and education on nitrous oxide’s potential for permanent, damaging effects.”
The consultant neuroradiologist at Beaumont Hospital added: “We want to encourage anyone experiencing early symptoms to seek medical help early and be open about any nitrous oxide use, to facilitate timely diagnosis and enable treatment to limiting long-term neurological damage.”
Although most patients in the study improved after treatment, none made a full recovery, with all experiencing some degree of lasting neurological damage.
The research, published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, was carried out in Beaumont Hospital by radiology registrar Dr Richard Bruen and neurology registrar Dr Sophie Sabherwal, with input from consultant neurologist Dr Lisa Costelloe.
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