The number of patients suffering from severe nerve damage in Ireland has skyrocketed as party-goers inhale nitrous oxide - laughing gas - for fun.
These statistics were confirmed by a neurology specialist at the Mater Hospital who said that 'laughing gas' is growing in popularity as a recreational drug.
Dr. Esther Macken said people are inhaling it for a quick ‘rush’ and feelings of euphoria which last up to 30 seconds.
READ MORE: The surprising foods you can freeze to help spread the cost of Christmas
The gas has a number of industrial and medical uses and although it is illegal to sell it for human consumption, it can be easily bought online.
The neurology specialist said she has treated six people for damage caused by the gas in the past 12 weeks alone - with effects that many people are unaware of.
Speaking on RTE’s This Week, Dr. Macken said that the gas causes a range of sensory issues in people who ingest it, including a numbness in their hands, feet and extremities, as well as major issues with balance, problems with their heart rate, and mental health issues.
She also suggested that in severe cases, people can lose their balance and require assistance standing upright or walking.
According to the health expert, this gas deactivates vitamin B12 in the body - which helps to control the brain and the central nervous system - therefore, inhaling it can cause irreversible health problems.
Dr Macken is calling on the government to restrict the use of nitrous oxide in line with incoming laws in the Netherlands which state that from January 1, 2023, nitrous oxide will be illegal for use outside the medical and catering sectors.
"A country that has, traditionally, been quite liberal in terms of its substance control, I think, will be the trendsetter for the rest of Europe,” she said.
"I expect greater restrictions to come into place in the likes of Britain and Ireland and I don't see many negative aspects to that."
Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward, a former addiction counsellor, says nitrous oxide has become popular among young people and is backing the call for legislation to curb its use.
He said: "They don’t know what they are experimenting with.
“A young person taking these things is basically playing Russian Roulette, because they don’t know the effect that gas is going to have on them until they take it.”
READ NEXT:
- Dad regrets 'moment of madness' that cost him job, freedom and unborn child
- Concern for missing rugby player weeks after being sent home from Ireland tour
- Girl dies after taking 'unknown tablet' in nightclub as teen arrested
- Meghan and Harry's documentary 'utterly explosive and worse than royals can imagine'
- "It has affected every part of our lives" - Irish mum's warning to parents after daughter's Strep A diagnosis
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
