BNN Chief Commissioner General Suyudi Ario Seto said outside medical use, nitrous oxide is often abused as an inhalant to produce brief euphoria, relaxation or mild hallucinations.
“Long-term use can lead to permanent nerve damage, severe vitamin B12 deficiency and the risk of death due to oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia,” Suyudi said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He urged the public never to experiment with the gas, stressing that its perceived short-term effects mask serious and potentially fatal health risks.
Legally, Suyudi said that as of early 2026 nitrous oxide is not classified as a narcotic or psychotropic substance under Indonesia’s 2009 Narcotics Law.
The gas is also absent from the latest Health Ministry Regulation No. 7 of 2025, which serves as the reference for updating controlled narcotics, including newly identified addictive substances.
As a result, Suyudi said the circulation of Whip Pink remains legal in Indonesia and difficult to prosecute under narcotics laws, despite its harmful effects.
He said global trends point to tighter regulation as misuse cases rise, particularly among teenagers and young adults.
“In many countries, N2O is increasingly regulated and even classified as an illegal drug when used for recreational purposes,” Suyudi said.
He said laughing gas is widely sold on online marketplaces and social media, often disguised as culinary equipment for making whipped cream.
The main abuse involves small nitrous oxide canisters, or whippits, intended for cream dispensers but marketed toward youths or individuals seeking intoxication.
Sold under names that obscure their function, the gas is commonly branded as Whip Pink on social media and linked to certain lifestyle trends, he said.
“Beyond small cartridges, N2O is also found in larger tanks, which make group misuse easier,” Suyudi added.
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Translator: Agatha OV, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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