Small gas cylinders (nitrous oxide) on the ground at the Square in Portobello, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac DónaillYoung people in Ireland are increasingly being diagnosed with spinal cord damage from recreational use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or whippets, a new study has found. The findings, published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, showed that cases of spinal cord damage caused by nitrous oxide have spiked significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the drug can interfere with the body’s ability to process vitamin B12, leading to a condition called subacute combined degeneration (SACD) of the spinal cord. Although most patients in the study improved after treatment, none made a full recovery, with all experiencing some degree of lasting neurological damage.

Source: The Irish Times January 23, 2026 15:30 UTC