A common nickname for laughing gas, also known chemically as nitrous oxide, is whippits or whippets.
Why is Laughing Gas Called "Whippets"?
The nickname "whippits" or "whippets" originates from how nitrous oxide is frequently packaged and abused.
As noted in the provided reference:
- Nitrous oxide is often inhaled from the silver chargers traditionally used to pressurize canisters for making whipped cream.
- These chargers contain the gas in a small, easily portable form.
- Because the gas is typically inhaled from these "whippit" chargers, the drug itself has adopted the nickname.
Laughing gas is classified as an inhalant due to this method of administration. The association between the whipped cream chargers and the drug's use has solidified "whippits" as a widely recognized street name.
Key points about the nickname:
- Nickname: Whippets (or whippits)
- Origin: Derived from the small silver chargers used for whipped cream.
- Method: Inhaled from these chargers.
- Classification: Considered an inhalant.
This direct link between the packaging and the substance's common name makes "whippits" or "whippets" a descriptive and widely understood nickname in contexts related to inhalant abuse.
