U.S. The “Galaxy Gas” trend whipping up controversy on social media

“Galaxy Gas” is a new spin on an old drug — nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or by the nickname “whippets.” Marketed in colorful cylinders as whipped cream chargers, with flavors including “mango smoothie” and “vanilla cupcake,” these pressurized nitrous oxide products are intended to be sold for culinary use. Galaxy Gas is just one of many nitrous oxide brands, and on social media the name has become a catchall term for nitrous oxide products featured in hundreds of videos showing young people inhaling the gas to get high, with potentially dangerous consequences.