Doctors at Tallaght University Hospital diagnosed 18 young people with a neurological disorder caused by inhaling nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” during a recent 20-month period, a new report shows. All 18 – the youngest of whom was just 16 – reported recent use of inhaled nitrous oxide, which is a gas used as an anaesthetic in hospitals and dental surgeries. They noted that many of the patients were using larger 580g or 640g canisters of nitrous oxide, rather than 8g canisters that had originally been popular in the recreational setting. Some of those admitted to the hospital reported using laughing gas for years, while others told doctors that it was their first time trying the drug. Nitrous oxide can cause inactivation of vitamin B12 in the body, which in turn causes damage or loss of the protective layer around nerve fibres in the dorsal spinal column.

Source: The Irish Times December 08, 2025 15:24 UTC