[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H4331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        DANGERS OF NITROUS OXIDE

  (Mr. Mullin of California was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. MULLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about nitrous oxide--a 
deadly inhalant that is being sold to consumers online and in stores 
across the U.S.
  Put yourself in the shoes of a parent who just received the worst 
news of their life: your child has suddenly become unable to walk. They 
have blood clots around their lungs, or, tragically, they have lost 
their life, and it is all because they got addicted to inhaling nitrous 
oxide they bought legally off the shelf from their corner store or 
online in bulk.
  While grieving the unimaginable, you are left asking: How did this 
happen?
  That is what Julia Charleston was thinking when her 34-year-old son, 
Robert, a military veteran, died after becoming addicted to nitrous 
oxide.
  Often called laughing gas, nitrous is probably something you have 
heard about at the dentist, but it is extremely dangerous to inhale 
without medical supervision. Even a single use can cause debilitating 
side effects, like neurological damage or even death.
  This is a growing problem. Mr. Speaker, 14 million Americans say they 
have misused nitrous oxide, and fatalities from nitrous oxide misuse 
have increased by 578 percent in the past decade.

  Despite these risks, nitrous oxide is being marketed as a carefree 
party drug, with names like ``galaxy gas'' or ``baking bad,'' in giant, 
brightly-colored canisters and flavors. This is clearly targeting both 
kids and adults for recreational use.
  Meanwhile, the smaller canisters, like this one, are pervasive at 
music concerts, college campuses, parks, and beaches.
  Social media videos of people using nitrous have glamorized and 
fueled this deadly trend, and DUI nitrous cases are putting everyone in 
harm's way.
  Right now, it is incredibly easy to buy nitrous oxide at smoke shops, 
gas stations, and online. I was even able to purchase nitrous oxide 
canisters and have them shipped directly to the U.S. Capitol, no 
questions asked.
  Congress must act to protect people from this dangerous and deadly 
inhalant. That is why I introduced the bipartisan Nitrous Oxide Safety 
Act to ban the sale of nitrous oxide to consumers and close the 
loophole that is being exploited.
  While there are legitimate reasons for doctors, dentists, businesses, 
and industry to use this chemical, it has no business being sold in 
stores or online. That is what my bill would prevent, regardless of 
whether it has a warning label.
  It has been reassuring to see some States start to act, but we need 
Federal legislation to address this truly interstate problem.
  No more parents should have to experience the devastation of losing a 
child to nitrous oxide.

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