These celebs are misusing a popular dental sedative and dragging others down with them
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"There is a reason Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is no longer capable of successfully releasing music or clothing. In fact, there are several reasons. But the most serious and the most recent is his dentist, Thomas Connelly." — Milo Yiannopoulos, former chief of staff of Kanye West’s brand Yeezy, on X (Twitter)
"People need to be educated in the same way that they’re educated about any other potentially harmful substance, sharing needles, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol—these are all things that could potentially harm an individual and are part of the public health initiatives.” — Ethan Bryson, MD
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
With medical professionals warning that misuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is nearing epidemic levels, celebrities, reality TV stars, and other pop culture figures have come under scrutiny for how they may have contributed to the worsening situation.
Young people are at increased risk
Doctors and other healthcare professionals are increasingly concerned about the implications of nitrous oxide misuse, especially among younger people, who may view celebrities as role models. While the gas has legitimate uses in medical settings, recreational use can have serious health consequences.
“The perception is that nitrous is safe to use recreationally, which is not the case,” Ethan Bryson, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, tells MDLinx. He said he’s unsure of how big of an impact celebrity endorsements for its use could have on broader misuse, but adds, “It’s definitely a part of popular culture.”
What needs to be done on a societal level to address the problem remains unclear.
Learn more about the dangers of nitrous oxide abuse—and it’s growing popularity among patients—here:
Nitrous oxide’s place in society
Laughing gas has long held a place in popular culture. Music legends the Grateful Dead were known users of the gas, as were party-goers at the famous Studio 54 in New York City.[] But the draw of nitrous oxide grew stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic as people looked for ways to self-medicate against the mental health effects of lockdown.
And seeking relief via nitrous oxide was helped along by celebrity backing: A recent article from New York magazine noted that, in 2020, the “rappers Young Thug and Gunna posed with what looked like nitrous dispensers on their heads; Smokepurpp and Gunna appeared to inhale on Instagram Live.”[]
Nitrous oxide also is often portrayed in a positive way in the media, which may be contributing to the misconception that it’s harmless. On one reality TV show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, characters discuss how they are excited to be administered aughing gas while getting Botox.[]
And celebrities like Kanye West, who has been publicly linked to nitrous oxide misuse, may also be fueling increasing popularity of recreational use among the general public.[]
Though some individuals use the gas to cope with mental health challenges, the glamorization of its effects could encourage others to follow suit, unaware of the potential dangers.
A pressing public health issue
According to Dr. Bryson, societal recognition of the seriousness of the issue is essential for reversing the trend.
“People need to be educated in the same way that they’re educated about any other potentially harmful substance, sharing needles, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol—these are all things that could potentially harm an individual and are part of the public health initiatives,” he says.
Physicians on the front lines, whether that is ER doctors, pediatricians, or others, need to be educated about the problem as well, Dr. Bryson says. That way, when speaking with their patients about misusing nitrous oxide, they can “just make sure they understand what the consequences of doing that are.”
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