Nitrous Oxide Page - Help to improve

[Paracelsus]

I've been writing this article for the Nitrous Oxide Page for this forum. I'm still not satisfied with it (don't flame me), so any suggestions and corrections will be welcome.

Alfa: I know I'm late, but I was sick the week before and incapable of finishing this article.

1. Introduction to nitrous oxide (main page)

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas, with a sweet odor. It is also a dissociative drug. When inhaled, the effects of nitrous oxide can include euphoria, sedation, analgesia (pain relief), laughter, auditive and visual hallucinations and other phenomena.
After it was first produced in 1772, nitrous oxide was used recreationally after its psychological effects were discovered in 1799. It was called ‘laughing gas’ and was commonly sold for entertainment at all kinds of social events.
Many other uses for nitrous oxide have been found, besides recreational use; nitrous oxide is also used medically as an anesthetic, in car racing to increase engine power, in the dairy industry as an aerosol propellant and as an oxidizer in rocket engines.

Other names for nitrous oxide are: N2O, dinitrogen monoxide, E942 (as a food additive), laughing gas, nitrous, NOS, hippie crack, etc.

2. The use of nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is bacteriostatic (stops bacteria growth), fat soluble and does not leave residues, taste or odor, which makes it useful as an aerosol propellant in the dairy industry.
In whipped cream cans, nitrous oxide is held under pressure where it becomes a liquid and mixed with liquid cream. When released from the can, together with the cream, nitrous oxide expands, foaming the cream. It works similar when used in special whipped cream dispensers.

In car racing, lower grade nitrous oxide is ususally injected into the intake manifold in order to increase engine power. This is achieved because nitrous oxide supplies more oxygen to the engine than air, allowing the engine to work faster, and because the nitrous oxide expands in the intake manifold, the temperature drops, making a denser charge possible.

Nitrous oxide has been used medically as a mild anesthetic since 1863, in dentistry, surgery and childbirth. Nitrous oxide has replaced other medically used anesthetics (chloroform, ether), which have a higher toxicity. In a medical setting, nitrous oxide is usually administered through a mask with 20% oxygen, to prevent oxygen deprivation. Today, nitrous oxide is used commonly in dentistry, in order to produce analgesia or to calm down nervous, anxious patients. Nitrous oxide is also used for analgesia in patients who are or are thought to be allergic to other analgetica (especially children).

Nitrous oxide is also used as a dissociative drug, for its psychological effects. Nitrous oxide has been used recreationally since its effects on humans have been discovered and Humphrey Davy marketed it as a substitute for alcohol. It has been and is still used by practically all classes of society, including poets (S.T. Coleridge, Southey), scientists (Humphrey Davy), politicians (Winston Churchill) and others. Today, recreational use of nitrous oxide is widespread.
Most users inhale nitrous oxide from whipped cream cans or whipped cream chargers (whippets). If whippets are used, a “cracker” will be needed, to break the charger open and release the gas into a balloon. The nitrous oxide is then inhaled from the balloon. Whippets can also be opened with special delivery devices. If nitrous oxide from a medical tank is used, it has to be transferred into a balloon first.
When nitrous oxide is inhaled, it can produce the following effects: giggling, euphoria, dream-like sensations, hallucinations (usually auditive distortions), reduction of external stimuli (dissociation of mind and body, can lead to out-of-body experiences), analgesia (pain relief, numb feeling) and loss of balance.
Nitrous oxide enters the system quickly, being transported through the blood. It dissolves in fat, and its psychoactive effects are probably caused by the presence of nitrous oxide in the synapses (connections between brain cells). The effects of a single inhalation of nitrous oxide start almost instantly, a few seconds after inhaling. The experience peaks quickly (after a few more seconds), and the effects dissapear quickly like they started. After effects can be felt until 20 minutes after coming down.
Because of the very short duration of the effects of nitrous oxide, many users may desire a prolonged experience, achieved by inhaling from a breathing mask which continously delivers nitrous oxide. But the gas administered with this method has to be diluted with 20% oxygen to prevent hypoxia.

3. Experiences with nitrous oxide

www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10023

4. Dangers of nitrous oxide

Using nitrous oxide recreationally can be dangerous. Most of the dangers associated to nitrous oxide are not related to the substance itself, but to the administration of the drug. The dangers specific to nitrous oxide include short-term dangers, which occur when under the influence of nitrous oxide, and long-term dangers, caused by chronic exposure to nitrous oxide (repeated, heavy use).

The dangers not directly related to nitrous oxide are mostly present because nitrous oxide is often used from pressurized containers, without constant oxygen supply, or from sources that may contain contaminants. Also, other compounds like carbon dioxide and nitric oxide can be mistaken for nitrous oxide.
Nitrous oxide is commonly used from tanks or whippets, which contain liquefied nitrous oxide which is under pressure. If nitrous oxide is administered directly from a whippet or tank, the expanding gas will be very cold and is capable of freezing lips and throat of the user. The gas is also under constant pressure and can cause ruptures in the lung tissue. Both dangers can be eliminated by releasing the nitrous oxide into a balloon before inhalation, so it will warm up and have normal pressure when inhaled.
If nitrous oxide is administered pure, without supplemental oxygen, it can cause hypoxia (low levels of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxia can cause headache, brain damage, and finally death through suffocation. This can happen if pure nitrous oxide is administered through a mask, garbage bag (can fall over the face) or in a closed room (closet, car, and other sealed space).
Different sources of nitrous oxide may contain harmful contaminants. Car grade nitrous oxide (NOS, NX) has many impurities and should not be inhaled. Food grade nitrous oxide from whippets may contain oily residues, which are probably harmful if inhaled. Medical grade nitrous oxide is the highest purity of nitrous oxide available, as it is specifically produced for human consumption.
Nitric acid (NO) should not be confused with nitrous oxide. Nitric oxide is an industrial gas and decomposes lung tissue if inhaled. This can cause irreversible damage to the lungs and death. Containers containing carbon dioxide can be mistaken for whippets containing nitrous oxide, but this is usually noticed quickly by the user, because high concentrations of carbon dioxide rapidly produce a sensation of shortness of breath, which doesn’t appear with nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide can produce adverse effects in some users, and some of its dissociative effects may represent acute dangers to the user. Possible adverse effects of nitrous oxide include: nausea (especially when used repeatedly and/or in combination with alcohol) which can lead to vomiting (can be dangerous to the user, because he/she can black out on nitrous oxide and choke on his/her vomit) and headaches, during and after the experience. Because nitrous oxide can cause loss of motor control, inhaling it when standing can be dangerous. Nitrous oxide should not be used in any situation in which sudden unconciuosness may be a danger (standing, driving, operating machinery, etc.).

Nitrous oxide interacts with vitamin B12 synthesis in the human body by interfering with the enzyme methionine synthase, depleting the body of vitamin B12. Also, in a scientific study, it was shown that 24 hours of exposure to nitrous oxide caused interferences with DNA synthesis.
When nitrous oxide is used heavily and over an extended period of time, vitamin B12 depletion will probably become a major problem, as it can cause brain and nerve damage. Physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include: tingling sensation in extremities, paresthesias (no sense of touch and pain), difficulties with motor control (can lead to inability to walk), etc. If you have used nitrous oxide chronically and have any of these symptoms, it is necessary to cease the use of nitrous oxide and take supplements containing vitamin B12 and other vitamins. If symptoms persist, contact a physician immediately. There are many reported cases of chronic nitrous oxide use resulting in the symptoms mentioned above. However, virtually all of the patients were chronically exposed to nitrous oxide, using up to 400 whippets each week, over a period of months.
Heavy use of nitrous oxide can also result in lower amounts of lymphocytes of the blood (results in a weakened immune system), reproductive disturbances and hyperhomocysteinemia (a risk factor in vascular disease).

Because the effects caused by nitrous oxide are pleasant and very short, many users desire another dose. Sometimes, this continues until no more nitrous oxide is available to the user. This compulsive use of nitrous oxide can lead to psychological addiction in some users, which can lead to excessive use (dangerous for the reasons stated above) and deterioration of personality.

High doses of nitrous oxide have been proven to be teratogenic in rodents, and also other conditions caused by chronic use of nitrous oxide (vitamin B12 depletion, hyperhomocysteinemia) can result in a malformed child if the user is pregnant. Nitrous oxide use should be avoided when pregnant.

5. Making nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide can be synthesized in many ways. Most of the reactions that result in nitrous oxide can also produce higher oxides of nitrogen, like nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These can be lethal if inhaled.

The most-used method for synthesizing nitrous oxide industrially is through the pyrolysis (decomposion under heat) of ammonium nitrate. When ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is heated, it decomposes into nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen (N), water (H2O), oxygen (O2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and other compounds. Even though the product of the reaction mainly consists of nitrous oxide, its low purity and contamination with highly toxic compounds (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) make it very dangerous to inhale. The optimum temperature for this reaction is 240 degrees Celsius, and if this temperature rises to high levels, an explosion can occur, as ammonium nitrate is highly explosive. Unless one has adequate equipment available to control the reaction and purify the product, heating ammonium nitrate to produce nitrous oxide is not recommended. This has resulted in many accidents, even in industrial manufacture.

There are other reactions that result in nitrous oxide, like oxidizing ammonia in the presence of a manganese dioxide-bismuth oxide catalyst, heating solutions of nitric and sulfamic acids, adding sodium nitrite to hydroxylamine, etc. These are methods that may someday replace the dangerous ammonium nitrate pyrolysis. But toxic higher nitrogen oxides can form, so synthesizing nitrous oxide in any way should not be attempted unless one is an experienced chemist and has access to a laboratory, where the reaction can be carried out safely and the product can be purifed.

6. Different forms of nitrous oxide

Because nitrous oxide has many uses, it is available in different forms, suited for the particular use of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is usually found in three forms: automotive grade, food grade and medical grade nitrous oxide.

Automotive grade nitrous oxide is used in cars. To discourage recreational use of this type of nitrous oxide, it is mixed with sulfur dioxide, which is very unpleasant to inhale and can be potentially harmful to the lungs. Automotive grade nitrous oxide should not be inhaled.

Food grade nitrous oxide is used in whipped cream cans and whipped cream chargers. It is usually pure enough for human consumption, although many brands of whipped cream chargers have been reported to leave a residue similar to motor oil, which can be potentially harmful for the user. Most recreationally used nitrous oxide is food grade, because it is the easiest to obtain.

Medical grade (USP) nitrous oxide is the purest form of nitrous oxide available, but hard to obtain (medical suppliers, etc.). It is intended for inhalation and is usually minimum 99.9% pure. Medical grade nitrous oxide usually appears as big containers, which contain large amounts of pressurized nitrous oxide.

7. The law on nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is not scheduled in any country, but many countries regulate its use.
In the US, nitrous oxide is regulated by the Food And Drug Administration when intended for human consumption. It is available over the counter and its possession is legal, but in many states it is illegal to sell or distribute nitrous oxide to a minor or for human consumption. The use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes is also illegal in many states, nitrous oxide being sometimes classified as an inhalant, making it illegal when used with the intention of inducing intoxication.
In other countries, including Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand and UK, nitrous is illegal to possess by a minor or for intoxication purposes. Most countries do not restrict nitrous oxide in the food industry, although some countries consider nitrous oxide a pharmaceutical.

8. History of nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide was discovered by the British scientist Joseph Priestley, in 1772. The first one who did more studies on nitrous oxide was Humphrey Davy, who administered nitrous oxide to visitors of the Pneumatic Institute in Bristol, to study its physical effects (1799). He discovered that nitrous oxide causes laughing and called it ‘laughing gas’. In 1800, Humphrey Davy published his work about nitrous oxide, including his own experiences with nitrous oxide. He described nitrous oxide causing analgesia, but this information made it into the medical world only over 40 years later.
After Humphrey Davy discovered its potential for recreational use, he manufactured large quantities of nitrous oxide and introduced it to the public as a recreational drug, being more powerful yet cheaper than alcohol. Nitrous oxide was often sold at parties, carnivals and other social events.
In 1844, the dentist Horace Wells first demonstrated the anaesthetic effects of nitrous oxide, and in 1863, nitrous oxide was introduced in dentistry by Colton, becoming generally accepted in medicine by the year 1880, along with other anaestethics like diethyl ether and chloroform. The latter two soon replaced nitrous oxide as they were more potent, but their high liver toxicity caused them to be replaced again by nitrous oxide.
Later history!!!!!

9. Books and articles about nitrous oxide

www.drugs-forum.com/forum/local_links.php?catid=31

Links at the bottom of each page:

The N2O Forum on D-F
Erowid Nitrous Vault
Nitrous oxide on Wikipedia
MORE LINKS!

Reputation Comments on this post:

nice job, a very welcome contribution to drugs-forum

[Cakes]

well, since you asked



1. Introduction to nitrous oxide (main page)

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas, with a sweet odor. It is also a dissociative drug. When inhaled, the effects of nitrous oxide (can) include euphoria, sedation, analgesia (pain relief), laughter, auditive and visual hallucinations, and others (remove comma and replace "and others" with "and/or other phenomena").
After it was first produced in 1772, nitrous oxide was first used recreationally, after its psychological effects were discovered in 1799 (remove the word "first" and also remove the second comma). It was called ‘laughing gas’ and was commonly sold for entertainment at all kinds of social events.
Many other uses for nitrous oxide have been found; besides recreational use, (move semi-colon to the comma's place) nitrous oxide is also used medically as an anesthetic, in car racing to increase engine power, in the dairy industry as an aerosol propellant and as an oxidizer in rocket engines.

Other names for nitrous oxide are: N2O, dinitrogen monoxide, E942 (as a food additive), laughing gas, nitrous, NOS, hippie crack, etc.

2. The use of nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is bacteriostatic (stops bacteria growth), fat soluble and does not leave residues, taste or odor, which makes it useful as an aerosol propellant in the dairy industry.
In whipped cream cans, nitrous oxide is held under pressure where it becomes a liquid and mixed with liquid cream. When released from the can, together with the cream, nitrous oxide expands, foaming the cream. It works similar when used in special whipped cream dispensers.

In car racing, lower grade nitrous oxide is ususally injected into the intake manifold in order to increase engine power. This is achieved because nitrous oxide supplies more oxygen to the engine than air, allowing the engine to work faster, and because the nitrous oxide expands in the intake manifold, the temperature drops, making a denser charge possible.

Nitrous oxide has been used medically as a mild anesthetic since 1863, in dentistry, surgery and childbirth. Nitrous oxide has replaced other medically used anesthetics (chloroform, ether), which have a higher toxicity. In a medical setting, nitrous oxide is usually administered through a mask with 20% oxygen, to prevent oxygen deprivation. Today, nitrous oxide is used commonly in dentistry, in order to produce analgesia or to calm down nervous, anxious pacients (<<patients). Nitrous oxide is also used for analgesia in pacients (patients) who are or are thought to be allergic to other analgetica (especially children).

Nitrous oxide (can also be) is also a dissociative drug, (remove comma and insert "and is") commonly used recreationally for its psychological effects. Nitrous oxide has been used recreationally since its effects on humans have been discovered and Humphrey Davy marketed it as a substitute for alcohol, (remove comma and insert a period. begin next sentence with "It has been and is still used") by practically all classes of society, including poets (S.T. Coleridge, Southey), scientists (Humphrey Davy), politicians (Winston Churchill), (remove comma) and others. Today, recreational use of nitrous oxide is widespread.
Most users inhale nitrous oxide from whipped cream cans or whipped cream chargers (whippets). If whippets are used, a “cracker” will be needed, to break the charger open and release the gas into a balloon. The nitrous oxide is then inhaled from the balloon. Whippets can also be opened with special delivery devices. If nitrous oxide from a medical tank is used, it has to be transferred into a balloon first.
When nitrous oxide is inhaled, it can produce the following effects: giggling, euphoria, dream-like sensations, hallucinations (usually auditive distortions), reduction of external stimuli (dissociation of mind and body, can lead to out-of-body experiences), analgesia (pain relief, numb feeling) and loss of balance.
Nitrous oxide enters the system quickly, being transported through the blood. It dissolves in fat, and its psychoactive effects are probably caused by the presence of nitrous oxide in the synapses (connections between brain cells). The effects of a single inhalation of nitrous oxide start almost instantly, a few seconds after inhaling. The experience peaks quickly (after a few more seconds), and the effects dissapear quickly like they started. After effects can be felt until 20 minutes after coming down.
Because of the very short duration of the effects of nitrous oxide, many users may desire a prolonged experience, achieved by inhaling from a breathing mask which continously delivers nitrous oxide. But the gas administered with this method has to be diluted with 20% oxygen to prevent hypoxia.

3. Experiences with nitrous oxide

www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10023

4. Dangers of nitrous oxide

Using nitrous oxide recreationally can be dangerous. Most of the dangers associated to nitrous oxide are not related to the substance itself, but to the administration of the drug. The dangers specific to nitrous oxide include shorm-term (short-term) dangers, which occur when under the influence of nitrous oxide, and long-term dangers, caused by chronic exposure to nitrous oxide (repeated, heavy use).

The dangers not directly related to nitrous oxide are mostly present because nitrous oxide is often used from pressurized containers, without constant oxygen supply, or from sources that may contain contaminants. Also, other compounds like carbon dioxide and nitric oxide can be mistaken for nitrous oxide.
Nitrous oxide is commonly used from tanks or whippets, which contain liquefied nitrous oxide which is under pressure. If nitrous oxide is administered directly from a whippet or tank, the expanding gas will be very cold and is capable of freezing lips and throat of the user. The gas is also under constant pressure and can cause ruptures in the lung tissue. Both dangers can be eliminated by releasing the nitrous oxide into a balloon before inhalation, so it will warm up and have normal pressure when inhaled.
If nitrous oxide is administered pure, without supplemental oxygen, it can cause hypoxia (low levels of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxia can cause headache, brain damage, and finally death through suffocation. This can happen if pure nitrous oxide is administered through a mask, garbage bag (can fall over the face) or in a closed room (closet, car, and other sealed space).
Different sources of nitrous oxide may contain harmful contaminants. Car grade nitrous oxide (NOS, NX) has many impurities and should not be inhaled. Food grade nitrous oxide from whippets may contain oily residues, which are probably harmful if inhaled. Medical grade nitrous oxide is the highest purity of nitrous oxide available, as it is specifically produced for human consumption.
Nitric acid (NO) should not be confused with nitrous oxide. Nitric oxide is an industrial gas and decomposes lung tissue if inhaled. This can cause irreversible damage to the lungs and death. Containers containing carbon dioxide can be mistaken for whippets containing nitrous oxide, but this is usually noticed quickly by the user, because high concentrations of carbon dioxide rapidly produce a sensation of shortness of breath, which doesn’t appear with nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide can produce adverse effects in some users, and some of its dissociative effects may represent acute dangers to the user. Possible adverse effects of nitrous oxide include: nausea (especially when used repeatedly and/or in combination with alcohol) which can lead to vomiting (can be dangerous to the user, because he/she can black out on nitrous oxide and choke on his/her vomit) and headaches, during and after the experience. Because nitrous oxide can cause loss of motor control, inhaling it when standing can be dangerous. Nitrous oxide should not be used in any situation in which sudden unconciuosness may be a danger (standing, driving, operating machinery, etc.).

Nitrous oxide interacts with vitamin B12 synthesis in the human body by interfering with the enzyme methionine synthase, depleting the body of vitamin B12. Also, in a scientific study, it was shown that 24 hours of exposure to nitrous oxide caused interferences with DNA synthesis.
When nitrous oxide is used heavily and over an extended period of time, vitamin B12 depletion will probably become a major problem, as it can cause brain and nerve damage. Physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include: tingling sensation in extremities, paresthesias (no sense of touch and pain), difficulties with motor control (can lead to inability to walk), etc. If you have used nitrous oxide chronically and have any of these symptoms, it is necessary to cease the use of nitrous oxide and take supplements containing vitamin B12 and other vitamins. If symptoms persist, contact a physician immediately. There are many reported cases of chronic nitrous oxide use resulting in the symptoms mentioned above. However, virtually all of the pacients (patients) were chronically exposed to nitrous oxide, using up to 400 whippets each week, over a period of months.
Heavy use of nitrous oxide can also result in lower amounts of lymphocytes of the blood (results in a weakened immune system), reproductive disturbances and hyperhomocysteinemia (a risk factor in vasculary (vascular) disease).

Because the effects caused by nitrous oxide are pleasant and very short, many users desire another dose. Sometimes, this continues until no more nitrous oxide is available to the user. This compulsive use of nitrous oxide can lead to psychological addiction in some users, which can lead to excessive use (dangerous for the reasons stated above) and deterioration of personality.

High doses of nitrous oxide have been proven to be teratogenic in rodents, and also other conditions caused by chronic use of nitrous oxide (vitamin B12 depletion, hyperhomocysteinemia) can result in a malformed child if pregnant. Nitrous oxide should not be used when pregnant.

5. Making nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide can be synthesized in many ways. Most of the reactions that result in nitrous oxide can also produce higher oxides of nitrogen, like nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These can be lethal if inhaled.

The most-used method for synthesizing nitrous oxide industrially is through the pyrolysis (decomposion under heat) of ammonium nitrate. When ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is heated, it decomposes into nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen (N), water (H2O), oxygen (O2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and other compounds. Even though the product of the reaction mainly consists of nitrous oxide, its low purity and contamination with highly toxic compounds (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) make it very dangerous to inhale. The optimum temperature for this reaction is 240 degrees Celsius, and if this temperature rises to high levels, an explosion can occur, as ammonium nitrate is highly explosive. Unless one has adequate equipment available to control the reaction and purify the product, heating ammonium nitrate to produce nitrous oxide is not recommended. This has resulted in many accidents, even in industrial manufacture.

There are other reactions that result in nitrous oxide, like oxidizing ammonia in the presence of a manganese dioxide-bismuth oxide catalyst, heating solutions of nitric and sulfamic acids, adding sodium nitrite to hydroxylamine, etc. These are methods that may someday replace the dangerous ammonium nitrate pyrolysis. But toxic higher nitrogen oxides can form, so synthesizing nitrous oxide in any way should not be attempted unless one is an experienced chemist and has access to a laboratory, where the reaction can be carried out safely and the product can be purifed.

6. Different forms of nitrous oxide

Because nitrous oxide has many uses, it is available in different forms, suited for the particular use of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is usually found in three forms: automotive grade, food grade and medical grade nitrous oxide.

Automotive grade nitrous oxide is used in cars. To discourage recreational use of this type of nitrous oxide, it is mixed with sulfur dioxide, which is very unpleasant to inhale and can be potentially harmful to the lungs. Automotive grade nitrous oxide should not be inhaled. (sometimes automotive grade can be purified; do you want to mention that?)

Food grade nitrous oxide is used in whipped cream cans and whipped cream chargers. It is usually pure enough for human consumption, although many brands of whipped cream chargers have been reported to leave a residue similar to motor oil, which can be potentially harmful for the user. Most recreationally used nitrous oxide is food grade, because it is the easiest to obtain.

Medical grade (USP) nitrous oxide is the purest form of nitrous oxide available, but hard to obtain (medical suppliers, etc.). It is intended for inhalation and is usually minimum 99.9% pure. Medical grade nitrous oxide usually appears as big containers, which contain large amounts of pressurized nitrous oxide.

7. The law on nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is not scheduled in any country, but many countries regulate its use.
In the US, nitrous oxide is regulated by the Food And Drug Administration when intended for human consumption. It is available over the counter and its possession is legal, but in many states it is illegal to sell or distribute nitrous oxide to a minor or for human consumption. The use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes is also illegal in many states, nitrous being sometimes classified as an inhalant, making it illegal when used with the intention of inducing intoxication.
In other countries, including Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand and UK, nitrous is illegal to possess by a minor or for intoxication purposes. Most countries do not restrict nitrous oxide in the food industry, although some countries consider nitrous oxide a pharmaceutical.

8. History of nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide was discovered by the british (capital "B" should be used for British) scientist Joseph Priestley, in 1772. The first one who did more studies on nitrous oxide was Humphrey Davy, who administered nitrous oxide to visitors of the Pneumatic Institute in Bristol, to study its physical effects (1799). He discovered that nitrous oxide causes laughing and called it ‘laughing gas’. In 1800, Humphrey Davy published his work about nitrous oxide, including his own experiences with nitrous oxide. He described nitrous oxide causing analgesia, but this information made it into the medical world only over 40 years later.
After Humphrey Davy discovered its potential for recreational use, he manufactured large quantities of nitrous oxide and introduced it to the public as a recreational drug, being more powerful yet cheaper than alcohol. Nitrous oxide was often sold at parties, carnivals and other social events.
In 1844, the dentist Horace Wells first demonstrated the anaesthetic effects of nitrous oxide, and in 1863, nitrous oxide was introduced in dentistry by Colton, becoming generally accepted in medicine by the year 1880, along with other anaestethics like diethyl ether and chloroform. The latter two soon replaced nitrous oxide as they were more potent, but their high liver toxicity caused them to be replaced again by nitrous oxide.
Later history!!!!!

9. Books and articles about nitrous oxide

www.drugs-forum.com/forum/local_links.php?catid=31

Links at the bottom of each page: (links at the bottom of which pages?)

Erowid Nitrous Vault
Nitrous oxide on Wikipedia
The N2O Forum on D-F
MORE LINKS!
(the last two are not hot linked and they look as if they should be. and maybe you want the d-f link above the others since the article is published here.)


so, ok, maybe not a lot of help, but it's something. it would look better if the paragraph breaks were made in a standard way<<some have spaces and some do not. More info or links to info about crackers could be appropriate. And maybe you want to say a word about the NO2 one can get from welding supply?

[Paracelsus]

thanks man. I don't have much time right now, but I'll edit the article tomorrow (probably).

I was actually thinking about mentioning purifying automotive nitrous oxide, but there are two main methods on the net (bubbling through baking soda , purifying with water), which seem a little too complicated for an average reader. But you're right, I will mention it at least briefly and include a link to this thread.

Update: edited out my mistakes. The bold and CAPS LOCK text was part of the original document to remind me I have to add something there. So, more links about N2O (no forums or commercial sites) and later history would be welcome.

[Alfa]

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

Alfa: I know I'm late, but I was sick the week before and incapable of finishing this article.

I am busy with several other articles anyway. I've just send you the DXM article, I've also been working on Benga's coca article and have just reviewed the 1st draft of Beltane's Ketamine article.

Some remarks:
Links are not important for the article.
Since N2O can simply be purchased in stores, I do not see reasons to provide ways to make it yourself. This will only lead to dangerous situations.
The introduction needs more text.

Note that I have updated the instructions for writing articles.

[Alfa]

Bump.....^

[Bajeda]

Some more clarification on the different types of Nitrous available and where they are generally obtained would probably be helpful. I can provide some info if necessary. Looking good though.

[Paracelsus]

How does this version look? I didn’t add much, I only reworded and reorganized the article so it is easier to read and understand. And made some more minor corrections and add-ons.

Cakes: Sorry for your work, but some of your corrections are gone because I reworded some parts of the article.

Since N2O can simply be purchased in stores, I do not see reasons to provide ways to make it yourself. This will only lead to dangerous situations.

I shortened the ammonium nitrate pyrolysis to a point which can not anymore be considered a way to make it yourself. I just left it there as a warning for enthusiasts.
I removed the other reactions that result in nitrous.
I briefly mentioned the automotive nitrous purification issue, pointing out that there is not enough information available at this time. As a side note, two persons from this forum (both are gone) say that it works with water in a pressurized container. Other internet sources (most have copied from the usenet, where info has been posted in the middle 90’s) say it has to be bubbled through a strong base like NaOH, others say baking soda dissolved in water is enough.

The introduction needs more text

It had 139 words in the first version, now it has 183. I can’t think of anything more to write in the introduction.

NITROUS OXIDE

[This article isn’t ready yet, my comments are written in bold letters.]

Introduction to nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas with a slightly sweet odor. Nitrous oxide is a dissociative drug which was discovered in 1772 and is commonly used since the early 1800s.

The psychological effects of nitrous oxide have been discovered in 1799 by Humphrey Davy. When it is inhaled, nitrous oxide can cause euphoria, sedation, analgesia (pain relief), laughter/giggling, dissociation of the mind from the body, auditive distortions, visual hallucinations (rare), and other phenomena. In 1800, Humphrey Davy started marketing nitrous oxide as a recreational drug. Nitrous oxide was called ‘laughing gas’ and its use became popular at all kinds of social events, where it was commonly sold for entertainment. In modern times, nitrous oxide is sometimes used at parties, usually filled into balloons and inhaled from them.

Because it is sedating and analgesic, nitrous oxide is used as an anaesthetic in dentistry and sometimes in surgery. Nitrous oxide is also used in the dairy industry, in car racing, in welding and in rocket engines.

Other names for nitrous oxide are: N2O, dinitrogen monoxide, E942 (food additive), nitrous, laughing gas, NOS, hippie crack, etc.

Using nitrous oxide

Ways of using nitrous oxide
In order to produce its dissociative effects, nitrous oxide has to be inhaled, usually by mouth.

A common source for nitrous oxide are so-called ‘whippets’, which are small canisters that contain pressurized nitrous oxide. These are normally used in special devices for dispensing whipped cream. With a ‘cracker’, whippets can be opened and the nitrous oxide released into a balloon, from which it then can be inhaled. Both whippets and crackers can be obtained from several online suppliers and in headshops. I will expand this paragraph with instructions on how exactly to use a cracker to dispense nitrous into balloons.

Another common source for nitrous oxide are whipped cream cans. These contain cream and nitrous oxide as a propellant. Whipped cream cans are usually more expensive than whippets, but are used mainly because they are readily available in most places. Nitrous oxide can be inhaled from whipped cream cans by letting them stand vertically for about 2-3 minutes, then putting the mouth on the opening and pressing on the opening to release the nitrous oxide, which can be inhaled until whipped cream starts to come out of the can. It is also possible to transfer nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can into a balloon, from which it can be inhaled easier.

Nitrous oxide can be administered by connecting a tank of nitrous oxide to a breathing mask, for continuous administration. This method can be quite dangerous, for several reasons: continuous administration of pure nitrous oxide will result in hypoxia or anoxia (lack of oxygen), accidents due to equipment may happen (improper connection between tank and mask, etc.), the tank may run out of nitrous oxide (and the user will have nothing to breathe) and the user may stay under the influence of nitrous oxide for a very long time, which can be dangerous. If this method is used, at least 20% oxygen has to be added to the nitrous oxide and the user has to be under permanent supervision. If pure nitrous oxide is used by this method, no more than a few inhalations have to be done (maximum one minute).

Effects of nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide can produce the following effects: giggling, euphoria, auditive distortions (flanging of sound), analgesia (pain relief, sometimes numbing), loss of balance, tingling or numbing in extremities, dissociation (detaching from reality, out-of-body experiences) and dream-like states. When nitrous oxide administration is prolonged, the user usually falls unconscious and can experience dreams and visions, out-of-body experiences and sometimes mystical and religious experiences. Altered thought patterns (usually involving strange arrangements of words) are sometimes observed.

Nitrous oxide enters the body quickly, through the alveoles in the lungs, being transported through the blood. Nitrous oxide is fat soluble, and its psychoactive effects are probably caused by the presence of nitrous oxide in synapses (connections between brain cells), although some sources consider nitrous oxide a NMDA receptor antagonist (the pharmacology of nitrous oxide is not well understood).

The effects of a single inhalation of nitrous oxide start almost instantly, usually a few seconds after inhaling. The effects peak about 10-20 seconds after inhalation, and they diminish as quickly as they began. If nitrous oxide administration is prolonged, the effects reach a plateau about 30-60 seconds after the first breath, and diminish a few seconds after nitrous oxide is no longer administered. Mild sedation, feeling of well-being and sometimes headache (especially with prolonged administration) can be felt up to 30 minutes after coming down.

Combinations with nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide combines very well with most psychoactives, combinations with hallucinogenic drugs being usually considered the most pleasant ones. Drugs-Forum has received positive reports about combining nitrous oxide with 2C-I, cannabis, DXM, Psilocybe mushrooms, etc. I’m sure there are more nice combos with nitrous. I’ll add more.

Other uses for nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide is bacteriostatic (stops bacteria growth), fat soluble and does not leave residues, taste or odor, which makes it useful as an aerosol propellant in the dairy industry. In whipped cream cans, nitrous oxide is held under pressure where it becomes a liquid and mixed with liquid cream. When released from the can, together with the cream, nitrous oxide expands, foaming the cream. Nitrous oxide works similar when used in special whipped cream dispensers.

In car racing, nitrous oxide is ususally injected into the intake manifold in order to increase engine power. This is achieved because nitrous oxide supplies more oxygen to the engine than air, allowing the engine to work faster, and because the nitrous oxide expands in the intake manifold, the temperature drops, making a denser charge possible. Nitrous oxide used in car racing is contaminated with sulphur dioxide to discourage human consumption and should not be used recreationally.

Nitrous oxide has been used medically as a mild anesthetic since 1863, in dentistry, surgery and childbirth. Nitrous oxide has replaced other medically used anesthetics (chloroform, diethyl ether), which have a higher toxicity. In a medical setting, nitrous oxide is usually administered through a mask with 20% oxygen, to prevent oxygen deprivation. Today, nitrous oxide is used commonly in dentistry, in order to produce analgesia or to calm down anxious patients. Nitrous oxide is also used for analgesia in patients who are or are thought to be allergic to other analgetica (especially children).

Cakes said nitrous is also used in welding. That makes some sense, because nitrous is an oxidizing agent, which is useful in welding. I’ll have to find some more info on this.

The dangers of nitrous oxide

Short-term dangers of nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide can produce acute adverse effects in some users, and some of its dissociative effects may represent dangers to the user. Possible adverse effects of nitrous oxide include: nausea (especially when used repeatedly and/or in combination with alcohol) which can lead to vomiting (can be dangerous to the user, because he/she can fall unconscious on nitrous oxide and choke on his/her vomit) and headaches, during and after the experience. Because nitrous oxide can cause loss of motor control, inhaling it when standing can be dangerous. Nitrous oxide should not be used in any situation in which sudden unconciuosness may be dangerous (standing, driving, operating machinery, etc.).

Long-term dangers of nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide interacts with vitamin B12 synthesis in the human body by interfering with the enzyme methionine synthase, depleting the body of vitamin B12. Also, in a scientific study, it was shown that 24 hours of exposure to nitrous oxide caused interferences with DNA synthesis.

When nitrous oxide is used heavily and over an extended period of time, vitamin B12 depletion will probably become a major problem, as it can cause brain and nerve damage. Physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include: tingling sensation in extremities, paresthesias (no sense of touch and pain), difficulties with motor control (can lead to inability to walk), etc. If a frequent user of nitrous oxide experiences one or more of the above symptoms, it is vital to cease the use immediately and consume healthy amounts of vitamin B12 and other vitamins. If symptoms persist or get worse, a physician has to be contacted. There are some reported cases of chronic nitrous oxide use resulting in the symptoms mentioned above. However, virtually all of the patients used nitrous oxide excessively, up to 400 whippets each week, over the period of several months.

Heavy use of nitrous oxide can result in lower amounts of lymphocytes of the blood (results in a weakened immune system), reproductive disturbances and hyperhomocysteinemia (a risk factor in vascular disease).

Because the effects caused by nitrous oxide are pleasant and very short, many users desire another dose. Sometimes, this continues until no more nitrous oxide is available to the user. This compulsive use of nitrous oxide can lead to psychological addiction in some users, which can lead to excessive use (dangerous for the reasons stated above) and deterioration of personality.

Nitrous oxide contraindications
Nitrous oxide should be avoided by pregnant women. High doses of nitrous oxide have been proven to be teratogenic in rodents, and also other conditions caused by chronic use of nitrous oxide (vitamin B12 depletion, hyperhomocysteinemia) can result in a malformed child if the user is pregnant.

Dangerous or negative interactions with nitrous oxide
Alcohol can increase the likelyhood of nausea when combined with nitrous oxide.

Indirect dangers of nitrous oxide
The dangers not directly related to nitrous oxide are mostly present because nitrous oxide is often used from pressurized containers, without constant oxygen supply, or from sources that may contain contaminants. Also, other compounds like carbon dioxide and nitric oxide may be mistaken for nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide is commonly used from tanks or whippets, which contain liquefied nitrous oxide which is under pressure. If nitrous oxide is administered directly from a whippet or tank, the expanding gas will be very cold and is capable of freezing lips and throat of the user. The gas is also under constant pressure and can cause ruptures in lung tissue. Both dangers can be prevented by releasing the nitrous oxide into a balloon before inhalation, so it will warm up and have normal pressure when inhaled.

If nitrous oxide is administered pure, without supplemental oxygen, it can cause hypoxia (low levels of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxia can cause headache, brain damage, and finally death through suffocation. A few breaths of pure nitrous oxide are unlikely to be a problem, but if nitrous oxide is administered through a mask or equivalent, 20% oxygen (by volume) has to be added (2l oxygen for each 8l nitrous oxide). Note that it is not possible to the user to determine wether he/she has enough oxygen, because nitrous oxide does not cause shortness of breath. Hypoxia can also happen if pure nitrous oxide is administered through a garbage bag (can fall over the face) or in a closed room (closet, car or other sealed space).

Different sources of nitrous oxide may contain harmful contaminants. Automotive grade nitrous oxide (NOS, NX) is contamined with sulphur dioxide and should not be inhaled. Food grade nitrous oxide from whippets may contain oily residues, which are probably harmful if inhaled. Medical grade nitrous oxide is the highest purity of nitrous oxide available, as it is specifically produced for human consumption.
Nitric acid (NO) should not be confused with nitrous oxide. Nitric oxide is an industrial gas and decomposes lung tissue if inhaled. This can cause irreversible lung damage and death. Containers containing carbon dioxide may be mistaken for whippets containing nitrous oxide, but this is usually quickly noticed by the user, because high concentrations of carbon dioxide rapidly produce shortness of breath, which doesn’t appear with nitrous oxide.

Producing nitrous oxide

Industrially, nitrous oxide is usually synthesized by heating ammonium nitrate (pyrolysis). As ammonium nitrate is very explosive, overheating it can detonate it, which has resulted in several huge explosions (some even in controlled industrial manufacture). Also, the nitrous oxide obtained by this method is not pure; dangerous contaminants like ammonia, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide are also formed. Unless one has professional chemistry equipment, knowledge and legal permission, synthesizing nitrous oxide from ammonium nitrate should not be carried out.
Automotive grade nitrous oxide can be purified, but this subject is quite controversial and has not been documented well enough yet.

Forms of nitrous oxide

Medical grade nitrous oxide
Medical grade (USP) nitrous oxide is the purest form of nitrous oxide available, but hard to obtain (medical suppliers, etc.) and usually controlled. It is intended for inhalation and is usually minimum 99.9% pure. Medical grade nitrous oxide usually appears as big containers, which contain large amounts of pressurized nitrous oxide.

Food grade nitrous oxide
Food grade nitrous oxide is used in whipped cream cans and whipped cream chargers. It is usually pure enough for human consumption, although many brands of whipped cream chargers have been reported to leave a residue similar to motor oil, which can be potentially harmful to the user. Most recreationally used nitrous oxide is food grade, because it is the easiest to obtain.

Automotive grade nitrous oxide
Automotive grade nitrous oxide is used in car racing. To discourage recreational use of this type of nitrous oxide, it is mixed with sulphur dioxide, which is very unpleasant to inhale and can be harmful to the lungs. Automotive grade nitrous oxide should not be inhaled. There is one documented case when automotive grade nitrous oxide has been sold for human consumption. (I swear I read it somewhere, but I can’t remember where. All I know is that it was at a concert, anywhere between the 60’s and 80’s. I will find it.)

50% nitrous and 50% oxygen is called Entonox. I will add some more info on this.

The law on nitrous oxide

Under construction.

History of nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide was discovered by the British scientist Joseph Priestley, in 1772. The first one who did more studies on nitrous oxide was Humphrey Davy, who administered nitrous oxide to visitors of the Pneumatic Institute in Bristol, to study its physical effects (1799). He discovered that nitrous oxide causes laughing and called it ‘laughing gas’. In 1800, Humphrey Davy published his work about nitrous oxide, including his own experiences with nitrous oxide. He described nitrous oxide causing analgesia, but this information made it into the medical world only over 40 years later.

After Humphrey Davy discovered its potential for recreational use, he manufactured large quantities of nitrous oxide and introduced it to the public as a recreational drug, being more powerful yet cheaper than alcohol. Nitrous oxide was often sold at parties, carnivals and other social events.

In 1844, the dentist Horace Wells first demonstrated the anaesthetic effects of nitrous oxide, and in 1863, nitrous oxide was introduced in dentistry by Colton, becoming generally accepted in medicine by the year 1880, along with other anaestethics like diethyl ether and trichloromethane (chloroform). The latter two soon replaced nitrous oxide because they were more potent, but their high toxicity caused them to be replaced again by nitrous oxide.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Awsome informative post

[molly5190]

SWIM just did NO2 for the first time last night. SWIM did 4 whippets, and inhaled and exhaled for maybe 20 seconds each time. SWIM did them relatively close to eachother in time. SWIM was wondering how the said dosage could have affected SWIM, other than the obvious and short immediate after effects.

[Paracelsus]

Please post your question in an appropriate thread.