Nitrous Oxide Addiction FAQ

What is N2O?

Nitrous Oxide (also known as laughing gas, nitrous, whippets, nangs, and nos) is a dissociative anesthetic commonly used in medical procedures, food production, and as an oxidizer in automotives.
It is also widely abused recreationally due to it's euphoric and dissociative properties. In our collective experience, it is very addictive, incredibly harmful to the mind and body, and potentially life-threatening.

What are the effects of N2O?

Negative experiences of heavy habitual use:

• Isolation
• Feeling less
• Looking for something else
• Escapism
• Compulsive use despite a desire not to use

Nitrous produces a very brief but intense high. Smaller doses typically induce euphoria, and an increased sensory awareness, especially that of sound.

Many users report having a virtual out-of-body experience, which many feel leads to spiritual awakenings, a strong sense of connection to the universe, and even direct contact with a divine presence.

What are the side effects?

Negative side effects of prolonged use include(but are not limited to):

• Temporary and/or permanent brain and nerve damage
• Tingles, numbness, and burning sensations
• Loss of mobility (including paralysis)
• Serious vitamin B-12 deficiency
• Oxygen deprivation
• Suffocation by using in enclosed spaces without ventilation
• Depression, anxiety, and mood-swings
• Aggressive, and even violent behavior
• Psychosis
• Gashes, lesions, burns
• Fatigue
• Seizures
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Addiction
• Death

What is the No2N2O Program like?

We are a twelve step program and support group at our foundation. The wisdom which has been shared by other twelve step programs is dear to us, and we allow it to flow freely in our own group. We also take advantage of every opportunity to expand on that wisdom with our own experiences.
In an effort to allow our group to help the most people possible, we have tailored our literature into the following steps and traditions:

Our Preamble

We are a fellowship of people who share our experience, strength and hope with each other that we may solve our common problem and help others to recover from addiction.
We have found that many people, health practitioners, and even other addicts don't take the dangers of this drug seriously. We've developed a community who have first-hand experience and are reclaiming our lives. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. There are no dues or fees for membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. We are not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; do not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorse nor oppose any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay clean and help other addicts to achieve relief from substance abuse.

The Practical 12 Steps

1. Admitted we were caught in a self-destructive cycle and currently lacked the tools to stop it.

2. Trusted that a healthy lifestyle was attainable through social support and consistent self improvement.

3. Committed to a lifestyle of recovery, focusing only on what we could control.

4. Made a comprehensive list of our resentments, fears and harmful actions.

5. Shared our lists with a trustworthy person.

6. Made a list of our unhealthy character traits.

7. Began cultivating healthy character traits through consistent positive behavior.

8. Determined the best way to make amends to those we had harmed.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would cause harm.

10. Practiced daily self reflection and continued making amends whenever necessary.

11. We started meditating.

12. Sought to retain our newfound recovery lifestyle by teaching it to those willing to learn and by surrounding ourselves with healthy people.

NO2N2O 12 Traditions

We keep what we have only with vigilance, and just as freedom for the individual comes from the Twelve Steps, so freedom for the group springs from our Traditions. As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than those that would tear us apart, all will be well.

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on our unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority: Our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or the organization as a whole.

5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry the message to the addict who still suffers.

6. Any group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the No2N2O name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, or prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Our group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. We should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. No2N2O as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. No to Nitrous Oxide has no opinion on outside issues; hence the No2N2O name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.