mjpaao

I heard on our local radio station that a 19 year old boy was found dead. Apparently he was trying to inhale the gas from a can of whipped cream and suffocated himself. I told my son about it, he was not surprised, it's something called whippit??? Not sure if that is the right word.
I feel so badly for such a total waste of a young life. Makes me wonder what will be next. I had never heard of this before, guess I'm just naive. I'll be sending prayers for his family, who I'm sure are heartbroken. So very, very sad.

nytepassion

Nitrous oxide has been around for a couple of hundred years and has a long medical history as a mild anesthetic. More popularly known as "laughing gas," or "whippets" (when the gas is inhaled from a whipping cream charger or store-bought whipped cream dispenser), nitrous oxide is a colorless, sweet-smelling gas that produces giddiness, a dreamy or floating sensation, and a mild, pain-free state. Because nitrous oxide relieves anxiety and indirectly blocks pain, it's used most often for minor oral surgery and dental work.

When nitrous oxide is used in a health care provider's office as an anesthetic, it's carefully monitored and controlled. When used recreationally, however, the safety of monitoring and control is absent, making the use of nitrous oxide more dangerous. Nitrous oxide rapidly affects motor control, so you're likely to fall down soon after inhaling it. Sitting down when inhaling it, to avoid a major fall, reduces one of the potential negative effects.

Nitrous oxide needs to be mixed with oxygen if it's used for more than a few seconds, as breathing straight nitrous oxide can cause asphyxiation (suffocation). When the gas comes from a pressurized tank, its freezing can cause frostbite of the nose, lips, and, possibly, of the vocal cords, which the anesthetized user might not be able to feel as it's occurring.

Immediate effects following use include stimulation at first, followed by nausea, sleepiness, lack of coordination, disorientation, and loss of appetite. The effects last only a few minutes, but with repeated inhalation, they can last a few hours. With each inhalation, users feel more and more out of control; unconsciousness often results. If a user becomes unconscious after using nitrous oxide (or any other drug, including alcohol), he/she needs medical attention right away. Long-term use of inhalants can result in a condition called neuropathy, where nerve fibers are permanently damaged, causing such problems as weakness, tingling, and a loss of feeling.

Wascally Wabbit

If only kids could see that death is permanant. I have seen several young people including a best friend when I was young, die a senseless death all over wanting to get high.

CatsPajamas

We've had some cases of kids who were "huffing" various things - the cans of whipped cream seem particularly popular.

It's silly , senseless and dangerous. I wish we could get the message across...

Done_With_It

Are you Kidding Me? :wtf2 OMG, I used to do wippits from whip cream ALL THE TIME! I didn't know it could kill you.
I didn't really know it was bad for you either.
It seems so harmless.

I know, save telling me I'm stupid, because we all did it.
I never knew, till right now. Our teachers we're around when we did it a few times. Did it even when I waitressed, the bosses didn't care.

Damn Random.

I probably would know now, since meth, but haven't thought about it since I got off meth.

Everyone (or ALOT of people) do wippits from whip cream... or from Mom's who baked cakes.


It's not like a "Regular High" that you guys are thinking of, it's laughing gas.
And it last a couple seconds.
That's why it's so popular. In my experience anyway.

Lobo

My RAD did it to and she did it right in front of me. She told me it was a whippit an said it was harmless and just funny. I questioned it and she told me not to make something out of nothing. I guess I was right. I can't wait to tell her this one.

Thanks for the info........Lo

sleepygoat

Yeah that's been around for years and I've heard many stories too about these sudden deaths with it. Hits home, though, every time I hear about one of these deaths.

TrishaV

Geeezzz....i learn something new everyday. So, you are telling me that the can whipped cream that you buy to put on strawberry and pies is deadly if used in this mannor? I will never buy that product again!!

hope213

i am so sorry for him. prayers going up for him & his family.

Ann

Stupid people or maybe I should say Dang! People so stupid they are dead.

When oh when are kids going to learn to stop sniffing, huffing, smoking, or otherwise engaging substances that can kill them.

This makes me mad because it's up to the schools, parents, police and media to make them aware of the consequences, including death.

If it were a strange flu virus killing these kids, they'd be all over it. Why are they not shouting about this killer. Killer Whip Cream!! Who knew?

Sheesh, I think I needed to get that out. Thanks for listening.

Hugs

Guinevere

I recall several years ago a store manager at Kroger stopped me (he knew that I taught school) and asked why kids from the high school next door were shoplifting so much whipped cream. I mentioned that it was used to get high. The store manager could not imagine such a thing. I learned details that I didn't know about cans of whipping cream today as I read the posts.

I remember going to a drug store when I lived in another city and noticing all of the hairspray cans had no lids. I aksed about it and the clerk said that the lids fall off in shipping. I doubt it. Do kids get the same high from sniffing cans of hair spray??

I am sorry for the lost child and I cannot imagine the grief the parents must feel.

greeteachday

Praying for this child and his poor family. So sad.