Michigan Nitrous Oxide ER Visits Jump 757% as 14 Deaths Surface in 4 Years
Updated
Updated · Detroit Free Press · Jun 19
Michigan Nitrous Oxide ER Visits Jump 757% as 14 Deaths Surface in 4 Years
2 articles · Updated · Detroit Free Press · Jun 19
Summary
Michigan emergency departments recorded 60 nitrous oxide-related visits in 2023, up from 10 in 2019, while EMS calls rose 420% and first responders identified 14 deaths with nitrous oxide involvement.
Large 2- to 6-liter canisters sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops are driving heavier recreational use, with doctors linking the gas to B12 inactivation, nerve damage, clotting problems and psychiatric symptoms.
Preliminary data shows the trend continued beyond 2023: 112 known injury cases were reported from 2024 through May 2026, including 48 hospitalizations and 10 ICU admissions.
Michigan enacted a 2024 misdemeanor ban on inhalation devices and tougher penalties for sales to minors, but poison center officials say injuries have kept rising and want broader limits on canister sales.
Doctors say the toll is likely understated because nitrous oxide is hard to detect unless patients disclose use, prompting efforts to improve screening as flavored brands remain widely marketed to young users.