Doctors are warning that the use of laughing gas has risen to such concerning levels that it’s becoming an “epidemic” among Britain’s young people.
After a report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published in June 2020 revealed that there was “a visible mark of the increasing incidence of nitrous oxide (N2O) misuse” since the first COVID-19 lockdown began, concerns have been continually raised by medical professionals over the effects of the substance and what prolonged usage could do to the body.
Nitrous oxide – which is also known as laughing gas, “hippie crack” balloons, and nos – is now the second most-used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK, with more than half a million people in this age group in England and Wales found to have used the drug in 2019-2020.
As defined by FRANK, nitrous oxide is “a colourless gas most commonly found in pressurised metal canisters [which] you may have seen lying around in streets outside bars and nightclubs.”
It’s often consumed by “transferring the gas into a container (usually a balloon), then inhaling from the balloon” and this is because “inhaling nitrous oxide directly from the canister is very dangerous [as] the gas is under such high pressure, which can cause a spasm of the throat muscle and stop a person breathing.”
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Doctors warn of a laughing gas ‘epidemic’ among Britain’s young people / Credit: Geoff Davis (via Geograph)
The popularity of nitrous oxide is believed to be due to the fact that it’s cheap and easy to get hold of, and it’s while it’s known to produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and calmness, as well as fits of giggles and laughter, it’s also linked to a wide range of negative side effects.
And now, doctors are warning that prolonged use could cause some serious health issues.
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In a now-viral TikTok, Doctor David Nicholl – consultant neurologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham – said he was seeing large numbers of young people coming into hospital after taking nitrous oxide, and warned that many using the substance recreationally may not be aware of the risks and that it was becoming an “epidemic”.
“At the moment we are seeing an epidemic of young people being admitted to hospital off their legs because they have been taking whippets,” he explained.
He adds that some patients are left with “life-changing neurological injuries”.
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“It’s an absolute epidemic and some of these people using this will have no idea that actually they could end up not being able to walk for the rest of their life just for a bit of a laugh,” Dr Nicholl concluded in the video.
It was reported that the Home Office asked the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to analyse the harm caused by nitrous oxide last year, and was seeking advice on whether to make the possession of it a criminal offence.
There were also 36 deaths in Britain associated with laughing gas between 2001 and 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
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Oasis Live ’27 – what to expect if you’re successful for ticket registration in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s go time… fans have started receiving ticket codes for Oasis Live ’27, so here is everything we know about the process so far.
In case you need bringing up to speed a little first, it was announced last week, following the unprecedented success of the reunion tour, Oasis Live ’25, last year – including five nostalgia-drenched gigs at Manchester’s Heaton Park – that Oasis would be hitting the road once again in 2027, and this time around, they’re going BIG.
We’re talking 11 nights at the Etihad Stadium and a return to the iconic grounds of Knebworth for six special shows there too, kind of ‘big’.
The iconic Manchester band will also be taking to a range of other world-famous stages across the globe, including five nights at Glasgow’s Celtic Park, and major cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, and Las Vegas.
Fans have started receiving ticket codes for Oasis Live ’27 in Manchester / Credit: Joshua Halling (Supplied) | The Manc Group
If you’re reading this, you’ll probably know by now that tickets are being sold through a strict fan registration process this year – with no general onsale and only successful registrants even invited to try and buy them.
Prices will be fixed, however, meaning fans will be able to snap up a ticket for as little as £74.60 for seated tickets, with seats then costing up to £266.60, including fees.
Standing tickets will be priced at either £173.60 or £206.60, and there are also hotel packages, coach packages, and VIP packages available.
And today’s the day that lucky fans have started receiving the codes and information they need to be in with a chance of securing tickets to next year’s hugely anticipated tour.
The all-important email being sent out to fans reads: “You have been selected to receive a unique code to access the onsale for the Oasis Live ’27 dates at [relevant venue]. Codes do not guarantee tickets, which are limited and subject to availability.
“To reduce waiting times, onsales will be staggered across three days – Friday 25, Saturday 26, and Sunday 27 September 2026, with three on sale windows per day. Don’t worry, each ticket sale will have its own portion of tickets for all Manchester dates, across all ticket types and prices
“You have been assigned a unique code for the [specific time] onsale on [specific date].”
The email also clearly informs fans that there is a limit of four tickets per code, and that codes have no cash value either, meaning they are non-transferable, case-sensitive, and can only be used once by the email address they were sent to.
More information and ticket price breakdowns can be found here.
Featured Image – Joshua Halling (Press Picture – Supplied)
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Oasis warn fans of scams ahead of Live ’27 tour ticket codes being sent out
Emily Sergeant
Oasis have issued an official scam warning to fans ahead of ticket codes being sent out from today.
In case you need bringing up to speed a little, it was announced last week, following the unprecedented success of the reunion tour, Oasis Live ’25, last year – including five nostalgia-drenched gigs at Manchester’s Heaton Park – Oasis would be hitting the road once again in 2027, and this time around, they’re going BIG.
We’re talking 11 nights at the Etihad Stadium and a return to the iconic grounds of Knebworth for six special shows there too, kind of ‘big’.
“As ticket information and unique codes are about to be distributed, please remain vigilant. Scammers may attempt to impersonate Oasis, our mailing list, or our ticketing partners. Anyone promising you a code that does not come directly from Oasis is not genuine.
“Any codes that are offered for sale are fraudulent and will not enable you to buy tickets. Code emails will be sent only between Thursday 24 September and Sunday 27 September.”
So, if you are one of the lucky ones, what do you need to be looking out for? Well, if you have been randomly selected to receive a unique code, as mentioned, your email will come only from [email protected], and will use the name and email address you registered with, as well as contain a ‘unique, personal, and non-transferable’ code.
The codes will come direct you to Ticketmaster, and nowhere else.
Do not respond to any message that asks you to pay for a ticket code, any that request your password or card details, pressures you to make a payment, or directs you to a website other than the official Ticketmaster site.
“Please check your junk/spam folder for genuine emails, but remain vigilant,” the warning continued.
“If you receive a suspicious message, do not click any links or make any payment. Resale tickets will not be available until nearer the events and will only be available at the price originally paid through Ticketmaster and Twickets.
Emily Sergeant -
30th August 2022 
