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full screen Nitrous oxide is not illegal, but breathing it in can cause nerve damage, blood clots, loss of sensation and memory impairment. Archive image. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
The number of calls to the Poison Information Center about people who have abused nitrous oxide has increased to a record level. The increase among teenagers is particularly large.
So far this year, the number of calls about injuries linked to intoxication with nitrous oxide has doubled compared to 2023. The increase in the 15-19 age group is especially clear, according to a press release from the Poisons Information Centre.
This year alone, they have received 1,100 calls dealing with nitrous oxide poisoning, a number that is likely to rise over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The majority of calls come from hospitals, which means that it can be really serious symptoms that cause the person to be hospitalized.
Repeated use of nitrous oxide can lead to loss of sensation in the arms and legs, difficulty walking, long-term memory impairment and confusional states, and blood clots in the brain and lungs. Some end up in wheelchairs. Others get nerve damage that causes them to pee on themselves.
Nitrous oxide is now legal to buy and sell and there is no age limit. The government is preparing a bill which means that it will be illegal to sell nitrous oxide in large quantities to private individuals and for intoxicating purposes, and people under the age of 18 should not be able to buy nitrous oxide at all.
The law can enter into force on January 1, 2026 at the earliest, according to the investigation.