Pedro’s Story – Trapped in the Nang Void

I’m 22 and until recently had been doing nangs (nitrous oxide) pretty much every weekend for a year and a half. I’d been around people doing them since about age fifteen, although it took me a while to try them myself. I didn’t know the risks in doing them until much later. 

When I had my first nang, I was alone and didn’t know what I was doing, but I was determined to do it anyway. I’d seen people cracking them into the balloons but didn’t get why. I had one of the small hand-held crackers, twisted the nang into it, and wrapped my lips around. When I unscrewed it, the gas was forced into my lungs, and my lips instantly froze to the metal – I ripped them away and tore a massive chunk of flesh off my lips. It bled a lot, I didn’t get high, and for about twenty minutes was struggling to breathe.  

In the last couple of years, I started using them a lot more. Nangs became something we’d take with other drugs, instead of by themselves, at festivals, raves, house parties, kick-ons, you name it.  

“I REMEMBER CRACKING THE BULB, FILLING THE BALLOON, PUTTING IT TO MY LIPS, AND THEN – NOTHING.”

They’ve also blown up in popularity. So much has been written about them online and in the media, which makes people curious and more likely to try them. Plus, they’re legal and easily-available. You can get them online, at tobacconists and convenience stores, and even IGA sells them. 

One of the main issues with nangs is the amount people do. My mates and I would just sit there and go nang after nang after nang until we’d basically be passing out. It’s definitely hard to stop at just one, probably because the high is so intense yet so fleeting. If you’re already on something else, you get caught in the loop and just keep doing more. 

A lot of people also don’t think about the physical dangers that can come with doing nangs. Once, while me and my mate were having a sesh, his metal cracker fully split down the side and shot the cold gas all over his hand – he ended up with a pretty hectic scar from the frostbite. I also always get my mates to sit down when they have them, because it’s not uncommon for people to collapse mid-breath. I’ve seen someone fall over mid-nang and hit their head, and I’ve also seen someone else fall down a set of stairs before.  

Seeing all that was intense, but the main reason I've slowed down on the nangs is that I had a really scary experience about 4 months ago. My mates and I had just gotten back from a one-night festival where we’d been drinking, taking caps and doing coke, and someone busted out the cream chargers. I remember cracking the bulb, filling the balloon, putting it to my lips, and then – nothing. Everything went black.  

I was shaking and trembling for a bit before laying still for around ten minutes, according to my mates who were freaking out. I’m told that although my eyes were open, I was completely non-responsive, even when my friend slapped me in the face! After a while I came to, but I didn't remember any of it. It really shook me, to be honest.  

That experience alone would have been enough for me to stop, but I was also worried about the other effects on my health. I really think that nitrous has started to affect me. I’ve been getting pins and needles in my feet, which I think is related to the effect nitrous oxide has on your Vitamin B12 levels. I also get a sharp stabbing pain in my abdomen after doing heaps in one night. Even if nothing ‘bad’ happens when I take them and I only have a few, the next day I have a cracking headache and feel like I can’t breathe properly for up to a week afterwards. It also feels like my vision is now blurry for about 10 minutes after I have a nang, which isn’t normal.  

I’m not going to say that doing nangs is bad and that people should stop because it can be a lot of fun and it can be quite social. Sitting with three friends and all having a balloon at the same time is great and it makes everything seem funny. I like that they’re an acceptable drug in most social circles, pretty much everyone enjoys them, or at least gets a laugh out of others doing them. Basically, if it’s the kind of party you can smoke a joint at, it’s the kind of party you can do nangs at – much more socially acceptable than smashing lines of ketamine.   

Before, I’d just keep doing them and doing them until I convinced myself I was having fun. Only now have I become the type of person who can say no when offered, and if I have one and I don’t enjoy it, I can walk away.