• Jesus_666@feddit.de
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    1 month ago

    Notable for being a class of substances that freaks out Erowid, a website that otherwise thinks that just about every drug can be used safely if you know what you’re doing. If it freaks them out it freaks me out.

    • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      It’s literally used by dentists and is more commonly known as laughing gas.

      It’s considered a low risk anesthesia. The only talk on erowid is that it can cause temporary hypoxia by displacing oxygen in the lungs which might lead to some minor death of brain cells just the same as inhaling helium to make your voice sound funny.

      There is some reports of very long exposure having some effects on neurons, but that was inconclusive and more around anesthesiologists working in poorly ventilated rooms being exposed daily.

      As long as you aren’t putting yourself in a place where if you inhale too much and pass out that you are still breathing n2o you should be fine. And so long as you aren’t inhaling directly out of a freshly cracked can where it comes out at literally freezing temperatures.

      Most people will use a cracker that fills a balloon and is mostly safe. Just do so in a well ventilated location.

      https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/nitrous/nitrous.shtml

      It’s way different from other inhalants like those found in aerosol cans like air dusters.

      • lolcatnip
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        1 month ago

        I didn’t think dentists use it anymore. At least I haven’t heard of anyone getting it for a dental procedure in a long time.

        • uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          1 month ago

          After a string of bad experiences at the dentist (miscommunications, mostly) I got super anxious in the chair, and my dentist offered me nitrous.

          So it’s still available, if used less.

      • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        This thread has some disinformation. In particular, whippits are nitrous oxide, which is commonly used by dentists as a mild anesthesia. It’s mostly safe and biggest risk is hypoxia if done in a place with poor ventilation or via a method that doesn’t stop if you pass out.

        It’s very different from the aerosol inhalant abuse like the walking on sunshine lady video linked here.

      • Etterra@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        You think that’s wild? A related addiction class is huffing aerosols. Now go look up “I’m walking on sunshine lady” and wow did she burn out her brain.