Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is an inhaled anaesthetic used for medical procedures, but recreational use of ‘nangs’ has soared among Beaches youth, spiking major health concerns. Catherine Lewis reports.
“What are those shiny silver bullets?” asks my young son, finding two on Newport’s main street. They are nitrous oxide canisters – street name ‘nangs’ – which, despite having the potential to cause serious health problems and even death, are being misused by young people in startling quantities.
Nitrous oxide is a dissociative inhaled anaesthetic used to dull pain linked to dental or medical procedures. Colourless and tasteless, it can be bought legally for legitimate purposes under Australian Consumer Law, such as by commercial bakers to fluff-up cream. Chasing the short and intense high and sucked in by its breezy name, how bad can laughing gas be? Young people have propelled nangs from party novelty to mainstream. When used frequently, the effect is dulled, spiking usage to recapture initial euphoria.
In most states, nangs can be purchased cheaply over the counter at tobacconists and in some convenience stores with few questions asked, despite it being illegal to sell for recreational use. The mini silver canisters, each containing around nine grams of gas, can be bought in bulk online, alongside larger quantity tanks containing thousands of grams, and delivered as a Door Dash burger would be.
Patchwork regulation across states allows loopholes to be exploited. South Australia has restricted selling hours alongside a blanket ban on sales to people under 18, while Western Australia has limited purchase to registered food and beverage businesses and restricted canister size. In Victoria, sales are illegal if sellers believe buyers intend to inhale – open to interpretation and tough to enforce.
Manly MP James Griffin says that current legislation gaps promote easy access and ‘do not sufficiently restrict sales to minors or limit high-volume purchases.’ “As a result, young people can obtain those dangerous products with alarming ease,” he says. There are also black-market sales via the same networks that distribute illegal tobacco and vapes. Mr Griffin tells PL that he has received ‘warnings’ from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command about the growing prevalence of large canisters. “The health consequences of inhaling any quantity of nitrous oxide are well documented, but the risks associated with misusing these larger canisters are even more severe,” he says.
“It is a concern when nang use becomes a way of coping with stress or difficult emotions.”
Michaela, clinical lead, headspace Brookvale
Former Nang addict Sam Bramman (right) ran 300km to raise awareness for his No 2 Nangs campaign
The Australian Border Force reveals that imports have surged over the last decade. Australia imported 249 tonnes of nitrous oxide in 2015 and 3,800 tonnes last year, with customs value rising from $2 million to $19 million. Pinning down exact recreational usage levels is impossible, as Australia lacks comprehensive consumption data, but the National Drug Strategy Household survey suggests around 6% of the population have used inhalants, about half of which are believed to be nitrous oxide.
Using laughing gas recreationally is no joke. Since 2022, packaging must include labels identifying it as a poison, following a reclassification by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as a Schedule 6 poison. It can cause irreversible brain and spinal damage as it inactivates the vitamin B12, key for nerve function and repair. Risks include paralysis, seizures, tremors, and cognitive changes such as psychosis. Users can also develop tingling and numbness in their hands and loss of bladder and bowel function.
The only way to treat side effects is to quit and to start high doses of vitamin B12, but there is no guarantee of full recovery. So powerful is the gas at disrupting enzymes that taking B12 in conjunction with nangs, as many try, will not cancel out potential long-term damage. Clinical lead at headspace Brookvale, Michaela, tells PL, “While many young people see nitrous oxide ‘nangs’ as a relatively harmless way to have fun, it’s important to know they can have a real impact on mental health. Alongside affecting judgement and increasing risk-taking, they can contribute to anxiety, panic and confusion. It is a concern when nang use becomes a way of coping with stress or difficult emotions, which may delay a young person getting the support they need and create longer-term challenges for their wellbeing.”
Tanya Cavanagh from Not Even Once, which empowers youth against substance abuse through mentoring and school programs across Australia, agrees. “The teen brain is highly plastic and sensitive to substances that disrupt normal developmental trajectories. Parents should be alert to changes that might suggest misuse including social withdrawal or mood swings, headaches or slurred speech and declining school performance,” she says. Tanya advises parents to turn to ‘factual, evidence-based research,’ and to create a ‘non-judgmental environment’ to discuss risks. Providing information on where their young people can seek help, such as school counsellors or peer support programs, is also key.
The government responded to questions posed by Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby, regarding nang usage. “In 2024, there were 305 presentations to emergency departments in NSW where nitrous oxide was mentioned. This increased to 405 presentations in 2025. (The) 2026 data is not currently available. From 2016 to 2025, around 10% of all nitrous oxide related NSW emergency department presentations were in Northern Sydney Local Health District,” the government says. Ms Scruby tells PL, “From the 2025 data alone, that’s about 40 people in the Northern Beaches Area presenting to hospital with potential for permanent brain injuries and mental health complications from the misuse of nitrous oxide.” A recent National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre study found that there were 20 deaths involving nitrous oxide between 2000 and 2021, but the true statistic is likely higher.
“If these laws help even one young person avoid the road that I went down, it will be worth it.”
No 2 Nangs’ Sam Bramman
Sydney groundskeeper Sam Bramman, 21, says that he ‘quickly became addicted’ after trying the gas at a party in 2023, which led to a drug-induced psychosis. “I never thought nangs would take control of my life and leave me hospitalised. This drug was cheap, easy to get, and because they were legal, I thought they were safe,” he says. Following a voluntary stint in a psychiatric ward and an 18-month recovery, Sam is now campaigning for tighter controls through his ‘No 2 Nangs’ campaign, pushing for greater public awareness, and recently ran 300km from Sydney to Canberra for the cause. Sam is calling for rapid home delivery and targeted advertising to be banned, alongside a mandatory age verification for all sales. Ms Scruby recently met with Sam to discuss the importance of reforms across the area.
The NSW Government announced in July that it will roll out new nitrous oxide regulations under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026. From November, it will ban sales to those under 18 and restrict volumes and availability. “The prevalence of nitrous oxide abuse is escalating in our community, and it is having a profound impact on the health of our young people,” says NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
In retail settings, small canisters will be limited to a total of 250g per day per customer and those containing more than 10g of nitrous oxide will be banned. Same-day delivery will be prohibited, with sales made before 5am and after 10pm restricted. Nangs will also not be allowed on visible display in shops, with a six-month education and transition period to allow retailers to comply.
“With the consultation on this topic ending on 10 May 2024, it’s been slow progress to regulate this, and without the drive from Sam, who knows when the reform would have occurred,” says Ms Scruby.
There will be exemptions to allow legitimate usage by food and beverage businesses, some industrial and commercial applications and therapeutic use, with the minister saying that the government has ‘struck the right balance between those purposes and health and safety.’ Those that breach laws will be fined a maximum of $2,200 per individual, or $11,000 per corporation, per offence.
“If these laws help even one young person avoid the road that I went down, it will be worth it,” Sam Bramman says. “Nangs are causing serious harm across Australia, and these reforms are a major step toward addressing it.”
People seeking help to address their nitrous oxide use can contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.