A Perth teenager might never walk again after becoming addicted to nangs.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Molly Day could no longer eat, walk or shower without assistance due to her addiction to laughing gas canisters known as 'nangs'.
The 19-year-old revealed to A Current Affair that she first became addicted to nangs shortly after graduating high school.
Her addiction soon began spiralling, and Molly was consuming two litres of gas daily.
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“I got hooked really quickly, and I couldn’t stop. Once I’d finished one, I’d just want more and more and more,” she said.
“Two weeks ago, I was a perfectly healthy walking girl, and now I can’t do anything for myself.
“I can’t walk, I can’t control anything. It’s so deadly."
The West Australian government announced new laws to restrict the sale of nitrous oxide gas canisters last year.
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However, Molly’s mother, Nicky Day, said more needs to be done.
She found more than 30 three-litre canisters in her daughter’s room before she was transferred to hospital.
“The government needs to open their eyes, this is not acceptable, this is not acceptable in any way, shape or form that a 16-year-old can still go to the shops and do this," she said.
While nangs are widely considered a 'safe' drug, experts from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney say this is far from the truth as long-term use causes brain and nerve damage.
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And the number of Aussies partaking in clown parties is only increasing.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reported in their National Drug Strategy Household Survey that the number of inhalants, which included nitrous oxide, jumped from 0.4 per cent in 2001 to 1.7 per cent in 2019.
Additionally, a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health reported that in 60 emergency departments across NSW, cases related to nitrous oxide use increased from less than 10 in 2012 to more than 60 in 2018.
Dr Rachel Sutherland from NDARC, Deputy Program Lead of Drug Trends, said that people's misconceptions could fuel the drug's popularity.
“It’s always tricky to say why a particular drug might be increasing in use or popularity. But it potentially could be related to perceptions of safety,” said Dr Sutherland shared in a statement.
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“It’s also quite easily available – you can purchase it very easily at convenience stores or online. And it’s pretty cheap.”
Charisa Bossinakis