No laughing matter: Misuse of nitrous oxide on the rise | Action News Investigation

Once called "hippie crack," nitrous oxide is making a comeback.

Last week, the FDA warned about its dangers, and health officials say teens and young adults are increasingly abusing the drug.

Users of nitrous huff it out of canisters or fill balloons and then inhale the gas.

Bridget Schoenig's son Jack went into cardiac arrest at an off-campus party at Penn State while a senior in high school in 2019.

"Jack either took in too much nitrous oxide or did too many too fast," she said.

A cop visited her Erie, Pennsylvania home, and told her to call State College police.

"He proceeded to tell me what happened and was trying to be delicate in his words, and I finally said, 'Are you telling me my son is dead?'" she said. "And he said, 'Yes, unfortunately, Jack didn't make it.'"

The Action News Investigative Team has been receiving increasing reports about its use among high school and college students.

Here in Pennsylvania, you can stop in your corner smoke shop and there's a good chance nitrous is on the shelves in many different flavors and names such as Whip-It, Four20 or Galaxy Gas.

"A kid with a debit card can order cases of it from Amazon or even tanks, sort of medical tanks, without any questions asked," added Schoenig.

Dr. Diane Cavello is the medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutger University.

"It's similar, for example, to drugs like ketamine. It's dissociative and euphoric," she said.

Dr. Cavello said her office has seen nitrous oxide cases nearly triple since 2021.

"We do get calls about patients who use a lot of nitrous every day and, for example, develop neurological problems or spinal cord degeneration."

Nitrous oxide is legitimately used as a sedative for dental or medical procedures and is often used in restaurants to make whipped cream.

In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to use it for intoxication and sell it if there's reasonable cause to suspect it is being used by someone to get high.

The law is rarely enforced.

We tried to get answers from a half dozen district attorneys none wanted to comment.

"I have done some testing of trying to order from Amazon with addresses in different states, in some with the most robust laws," said Schoenig. "And they really not, they ask no questions."

We also found nitrous oxide available for purchase on Walmart's website.

In our area, New Jersey is the only state that requires a permit through the Department of Health to buy, sell, purchase or distribute nitrous.

An open records request by the investigative team shows only 62 businesses are permitted to sell nitrous for non-medical use.

Our visits to a half dozen smoke shops in Camden County showed the shops we visited complying.

"One bad decision changed the lives of hundreds of people who were close to Jack. And I hope that we can educate people, so no other family has to go through this," said Schoenig.

Amazon released a statement saying that it requires all products offered in its store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. The company also said it takes action to maintain a safe selection for its customers, including removing non-compliant products.

At last check, nitrous could still be bought and shipped to New Jersey.

Walmart did not respond to a request for comment by the Investigative Team.