Whippet Injuries, Deaths Lead to Bill Seeking to Ban Retail Sale of Nitrous Oxide Canisters

Representative Kevin Mullin of California introduced the Nitrous Oxide Safety Act (H.R. 7945) in June 2026, proposing a national ban on consumer retail sales of nitrous oxide canisters. The legislation emerged from advocacy efforts by a coalition of parents whose children have suffered injuries or died from nitrous oxide abuse and addiction.

Nitrous oxide has legitimate medical and culinary uses as an anesthetic and food preparation agent. However, recreational inhalation—colloquially called "whippets" or "whippits"—produces brief euphoric effects and has become increasingly prevalent among consumers, particularly driven by social media trends. Manufacturers have capitalized on this recreational market by selling larger canisters directly to consumers in bright colors and fruity flavors, often with inhalation devices, through vape shops and online retailers.

The proposed legislation aims to restrict retail access while preserving supply channels for medical professionals and legitimate industrial users. The bill represents a policy response to what lawmakers characterize as a growing public health crisis involving injuries, neurological damage, addiction, and fatal overdoses linked to nitrous oxide products marketed and distributed to the general public.

This is a curated brief from the PlaintiffWire news desk. Read the original report at AboutLawsuits.