This season, not all celebrations ended happily. The island faced several truly sad moments, especially in Sant Antoni Des Portmany at the hands of this dangerous drug.
Asides from the terrible deaths that have been occurring over the past few months (balcony falls, fights and other fatal incidents) the consumption of Nitrous Oxide—popularly known as laughing gas, NOS or “hippie crack”—has become one of the most popular recreational drugs in nightclubs and on the streets of Sant Antoni and Platja D’en Bossa. Guys pass along balloons filled with this colourless gas to inhale two or three times to get a quick sense of drunkenness and joy.
The cost is cheap, but the consequences are not.
Although the euphoria lasts only about 30 seconds, and the anesthetic effects lasts about three minutes, its continued consumption can create addiction like any other narcotic. More seriously, inhaling this gas damages the spinal cord. Overdoses cause fainting and even respiratory stops.
Science-led drug charity, DrugScience, says: “Inhaling nitrous oxide in a dangerous way will not cause any warning symptoms until the user suddenly becomes unconscious. “Then brain damage, followed by death, can occur within minutes”.
The latest case involved Olivia Golding, a young mother of 24 years old that was left paralyzed from the chest down after inhaling the laughing gas. This story alone should be enough to make everyone realize the dangers of this drug.
Featured image: Independent.co.uk