Nitrous dose, effects and duration

A short-lived dissociative anaesthetic inhaled from balloons. It lasts 1-3 minutes, which makes compulsive repetition the main danger. Frequent use depletes vitamin B12 and causes nerve damage.

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Dose and effect data: PsychonautWiki (CC BY-SA 4.0) and TripSit (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0).

Before you dose

⚠This substance's dose is not reliably weight-scaled - the ranges shown are population figures. Sensitivity varies far more between people than body mass explains.

Dose

Published population range

Threshold4 g

Light4–8 g

Common8–16 g

Strong16–40 g

Heavy / risk zone≥ 40 g

No weight-based model for this substance — published ranges only.

Check an amount you already have

Timeline (inhaled)

Onset0.1–0.2 minutes

Come-up0.1–0.2 minutes

Peak0.2–0.5 minutes

Offset1–5 minutes

Afterglow15–30 minutes

Total1–5 minutes

Bars show relative time in each phase, scaled to the total duration. Each phase keeps its colour in the list above.

Expected effects

Euphoria and uncontrollable laughter
Brief dissociation
Distorted sound and perception
Analgesia
Floating sensation

Possible side effects

Headache and dizziness
Falls and injuries while standing
Vitamin B12 deficiency and nerve damage (numbness, tingling, weakness) with frequent use
Frostbite and lung injury if inhaled directly from the dispenser
Fainting
Psychological dependence with compulsive repetition

Known toxicity

exact toxic dosage is unknown

Harm reduction

Balloon only, never the dispenser - pressure and cold cause lung and throat injury.
Sit down first. The head-rush and blood pressure drop make standing a fall risk.
Leave at least a day between sessions and take longer breaks: repeated use depletes vitamin B12.
Numbness, tingling, weakness or difficulty walking after use needs urgent medical assessment - that is B12-related nerve damage.
Do not use it in a car, on a balcony, or anywhere a fall is possible.
Dissociation removes your sense of where your body is. Sit or lie down in a safe, warm place, away from stairs, balconies, bathtubs, roads and open water.
Never mix dissociatives with alcohol, GHB/GBL, benzodiazepines or opioids - that combination causes respiratory depression and deaths.
Do not use alone, and do not use in a bathtub or swimming pool at any dose.
Start with a fraction of the dose you think you need. Control and coordination go before you notice they have gone.
Frequent use of ketamine and similar drugs causes real bladder and urinary tract damage; early warning signs are pain, frequency and blood in urine.

Mixing

AlcoholCaution

Both substances potentiate the ataxia and sedation caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. While unconscious, vomit aspiration is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Memory blackouts are likely.

GHBCaution

Both substances potentiate the ataxia and sedation caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. While unconscious, vomit aspiration is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Memory blackouts are likely.

OpioidsCaution

Both substances potentiate the ataxia and sedation caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. While unconscious, vomit aspiration is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Memory blackouts are likely.

TramadolCaution

Both substances potentiate the ataxia and sedation caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. While unconscious, vomit aspiration is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Memory blackouts are likely.

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