Demi Moore is in the news for going to rehab after a trip to the emergency room this Monday.  According to reports Ms. Moore suffered a seizure after doing whippits at  her LA home.  And what is a whippit?  It’s basically the slang term for inhaling nitrous oxide to get high – that’s the same stuff your dentist calls laughing gas or just “the gas”.  Whippits can be done in 3 different methods that I have heard of:

1. The high schooler method of buying a whipped cream cannister and huffing out the gas by simply turning the can upside down.
2. The college method of buying ready made “whippit” canisters that even come with balloons for ease of use.  These can be bought at party stores aka “head shops”.  I once saw a girl do one on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, and like Demi she promptly fell out and had a mini seizure…fun times huh.
3. The serious partier method – get the same kind setup the dentist has, complete with gas mask.  This method has been known to be deadly.

Inhalant Addiction is a real thing, but my guess is that if Demi is indeed addicted to something – its not NO2.

“Whippits,” “Poppers,” “Oz,” “Rush” and several other street terms refer to the simple yet devastating problem of inhalant abuse.  Unlike many of the more exotic intoxicants, inhalants can be any kind of household or commercial substance that produces a high when its fumes are inhaled.  Volatile solvents (liquids that evaporate at room temperature and produce fumes), aerosols, gasses (nitrous oxide, ether), and nitrites are all inhalants and can all cause immediate and lasting damage, severe addiction, and possibly death.

Inhalants affect the brain almost instantly, depriving it of oxygen and destroying tissue with incredible toxicity.  Because the high is short-lived, users often try to extend the experience with repeated use, increasing the damage and the complications of addiction.  Chronic use will almost certainly lead to significant nervous system destruction, including impairing or even destroying the user’s ability to speak, walk or reason.  Even first time users may experience permanent damage or death.

For more information on Inhalant Addiction click here.

{ 0 comments }