The "proto" can have "irreversible effects", warns Dr Cherikh in Nice

• For several years, the misuse of nitrous oxide, inhaled through a balloon, affects more and more young people.

  This gas is found in common use in whipped cream siphon cartridges, dry air aerosols or carboys used in medicine and industry.

• After several measures taken by town halls and even the prohibition of the sale of this product to minors via a law, the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes maintains its prevention by renewing an order until June 30, 2022 to prohibit, among other things, " to misuse nitrous oxide gas for recreational purposes in public spaces”.

• Addictologist at the Nice University Hospital, Dr. Faredj Cherikh recalled in an interview with

  20 Minutes

  the long-term dangers of consuming this type of product, especially among young people.

On December 31, 2021, the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes renewed an order, issued in July, to prohibit, among other things, "the misuse of nitrous oxide gas for recreational purposes in public spaces".

With this measure, minors are even prohibited from owning one.

Since June 1, a law prohibits “the sale (or supply) of nitrous oxide” to people under the age of 18, whether in shops or on the Internet.

Necessary measures in the face of a practice that has increased over the past five years.

Dr. Faredj Cherikh, head of the addictology service at the Nice University Hospital, reminded

of the need to "warn young people of the risks involved in consuming" the "proto", also called "laughing gas".

We have heard a lot about an increase in consumption of the "proto" at the end of the first confinement.

How has this consumption evolved in recent years?

Just after deconfinement, we actually observed an increase in addictive behavior.

For the “laughing gas”, it is difficult to answer because it is not with the consultations that one really realizes it.

Patients don't come on their own, and often that's not the only addiction they're stricken with.

What allows us to say that there is an increase is the large number of cartridges found on the ground in public spaces, the multiplication of alerts from emergency doctors or from Education national.

How did nitrous oxide become a "fashionable" drug?

We didn't really know what nitrous oxide was when it appeared as a drug, especially if we started practicing in the field twenty years ago. It's the same thing for synthetic products, it has evolved enormously. These are fads. Society has a desire for “new”, it tries new addictions, new products and wants to feel new effects on its nervous system. Once she has found the desired effects, she wants to experience them again. For the "proto", these are sensory distortions such as hallucinations, depersonalization, that is to say, no longer knowing who you are. When inhaling a cartridge, these euphoric effects last for a few seconds. But the consequences can be irreversible.

That is to say ?

At the time of taking, there may be risks of asphyxiation, dizziness, cardiac arrest and even burns if you are not careful when opening the cartridge.

If consumption is repeated in high doses, that is to say, when taking several cartridges, at regular intervals, it can have long-term consequences.

We have cases of cardiac disorders, psychiatric disorders but also neurological effects which can be irreversible.

And if the consumption is associated with other addictive products such as cannabis or alcohol, it can be more serious.

Why is the fact that young people are using this type of drug even more alarming?

As with all drugs, when it concerns young people, it is always more serious and more important. For nitrous oxide, we see that it can affect from college to higher education. It's easy to get [this gas is commonly found in whipped cream siphon cartridges, dry air aerosols or carboys used in medicine and industry] and it's not not expensive [less than one euro per cartridge]. At this age, we are more impulsive, less reasonable. But above all, we have the brain, which is still developing. It is at 24 that he reaches his full maturity. This means that everything that is ingested or inhaled up to this age has direct consequences on the central nervous system. It weakens him. As an adult, this can translate into anxiety and depression.Even if we don't have a lot of cases, we can make discoveries afterwards. It is then necessary to insist on prevention messages to reduce the risks.

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• Addiction

• Drug

• Nice

• Health

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