Medlatec Tay Ho General Clinic ( Hanoi ) has just admitted a 20-year-old male patient to the hospital with numbness in all four limbs, loss of sensation in both legs, and weak movement. Medical history shows that the patient used laughing gas with high frequency - more than 50 balls per session for 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results showed cervical spinal cord damage, typical of neuropathy syndrome caused by N₂O gas.
Military Hospital 175 said that in just the past month, it has received 3 cases of severe central nervous system damage related to laughing gas. There were cases of loss of language, behavioral disorders, and muscle spasms. The patients were aged 18-28, highly educated, and used the balloons many times in recreational environments or ordered them online.
Laughing balloons are balloons filled with Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) gas – a colorless, odorless compound. When inhaled, this gas affects the nervous system, causing excitement, uncontrolled laughter, and even hallucinations. According to the Ministry of Health , N₂O gas is used in a controlled manner in medicine and industry according to international standards. However, when abused, this gas can cause serious damage to physical and mental health, especially in young people.
Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Neurology Specialist, Medlatec Tay Ho said: "Long-term exposure to N₂O gas causes the body to deactivate vitamin B12, causing spinal cord damage. A common early sign is numbness in the limbs. If not detected promptly, severe nerve damage can lead to very slow recovery, or no recovery."
In addition to nerve damage, laughing gas also causes many less recognized consequences: emotional disorders, anxiety, persistent hallucinations, memory loss, poor concentration. Some people describe feeling “sometimes awake and sometimes unconscious”, “living as if it were not real”, even paranoia and dangerous behavior. These are signs of dependence on N₂O gas – a condition not unlike addiction to hallucinogens.
From January 1, 2025, Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly officially took effect, clearly stipulating: N₂O gas (ie laughing gas) is a prohibited item for use in entertainment purposes. Along with that, acts of producing, storing, transporting, and trading laughing gas for entertainment purposes are strictly handled according to the law.
In fact, laughing gas is still present in many entertainment establishments in large cities. N₂O gas cylinders are pre-filled into the balloons and sold openly to customers in need – even with home delivery services via social media platforms. On some central streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, ordering laughing gas is still easy.
It is also important to emphasize that social awareness of the consequences of laughing gas remains vague. Many young people believe that it is just “a fun game” or “harmless laughing gas”, not a drug, so there is nothing to worry about.
According to neurologists and psychiatrists, this thinking is extremely dangerous. Laughing gas is not immediately addictive like heroin or methamphetamine, but it creates a feeling of excitement and dependence quickly, easily leading to increased dosage and frequent use. This condition can progress silently for many months before obvious symptoms of nerve damage appear.
More worryingly, many cases of severe damage fall on young people who have the means, knowledge, and even read about the harmful effects but still use laughing gas and believe they can control it. But when the body speaks up, it is often too late to recover. To prevent laughing gas abuse, health experts say a multi-layered strategy is needed: strictly controlling the source of N₂O gas, managing entertainment venues, and promoting community communication with real stories and consequences.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bong-cuoi-nguoi-khoc-post650157.html
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