Dr. Carole Myers
Welcome to Health Connections, the show about people, health and policy. I'm Dr Carol Myers, Whippets are small steel canisters found in whipped cream dispensers that contain nitrous oxide. Getting high by inhaling or huffing nitrous oxide is a dangerous new trend today. Michael Collins, a parent with personal experience with nitrous oxide abuse and an advocate for banning the sale of retail whippets, is here to share what he knows and what he suggests should be done. Michael, tell us more about whippets please.
Michael Collins
Whippets are these canisters of nitrous oxide that can they can range in size from something very small to as large as a fire extinguisher, and they're labeled as being sold for restaurant or culinary use. The problem with whippets is that they are also targeted to our youth for inhalant abuse, and it's something I was totally unaware of, until what I discovered through my daughter was that she was abusing it, and it's impacting lots and lots of our youth, and its popularity is growing tremendously. It's a drug that can be utilized, and you can still pass a drug test. The challenge with whippets is that they're being sold in vape shops and the head shops, the CDB shops that you see around, and they're not being sold with the intent that restaurants are using them. They're being sold with the intent that the purchaser is going to take these and abuse them.
Tell us what the danger is, so that we can appreciate what you're talking about.
The danger with whippets is that when you inhale this nitrous it diminishes the body's ability to absorb B vitamins. And what I've learned is that the B vitamins are essentially the food for the nervous system. You are killing your nervous system. And that's what we experienced with Kaylee was she started having numbness in her fingers and her feet.
What are some of the other signs the numbness that you associate with the nerve damage? Were there other signs or symptoms related to the use of whippets?
Those were the initial symptoms, but over time, as her use expanded, the effects expanded, so the numbness became significant and to the point where she would fall down.
Is that damage to the nerves transient? Or is it permanent?
It can be transient. In fact, in her case, it has been, however, it can be more permanent. Fortunately for us, Kaylee's use was intensive, but over a short period of time.
What do you think is needed to address the problem of getting high by inhaling or huffing nitrous oxide?
My suggestions are that we need legislation that can close the loophole. Because essentially, even though those items are labeled for restaurant and culinary use, they're being sold through a loophole that allows the vape shops, for example, to sell them for restaurant and culinary use. Now there are no restaurants going to a vape shop to buy their supplies. So by having legislation that can close those loopholes, we effectively eliminate the ability for users to get access to those and there's legislation that is in the works right now, and Senator Briggs is the sponsor in the Senate, and a Representative Atchley is the sponsor in the House, and I'm very hopeful that in the upcoming session that that bill will pass.
