Smoke shops across Florida may no longer be able to sell nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, which gets people high but has huge health risks
State lawmakers are pushing bills (HB 1341/SB 1394) that would ban it from such establishments.
“This is not about burdening compliant businesses,” said Melanie Griffin, secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which is pushing for the bill. “It's about protecting reputable licensees and lawful operators from being undercut by those who ignore the rules and put our public, especially our youth, at risk.”
Nitrous oxide does have legitimate uses, like for dental anesthesia. A lot of shops claim it’s for culinary use because it's used to make whipped cream. Selling it so people can get high is a crime.
But the gas is commonly sold in brightly-colored canisters, with catchy names and flavors ranging from blue raspberry to cotton candy.
Repeated use can have serious health effects. Dr. Kent Mathias runs the inpatient detox unit at the UF Health Psychiatric Hospital and has seen it himself.
“We've had many, many patients come in wheelchairs,” Mathias said. “A lot of them are college students. They can't walk anymore. Some of them recover, and some of them don't.”
In some cases, it can lead to death.
Kathleen Dial describes her sister as vibrant , beautiful and deeply loved. She enjoyed animals, horseback riding, and traveling.
“Until an addiction to nitrous oxide stole her from us, once to the addiction, and once again, when she died in November of 2024,” Dial said.
She was found dead outside of an Orlando smoke shop.
“Meg believed that if she could buy them in a store right down the street, it couldn't be that dangerous,” Dial said. “I recall her telling me, ‘I'm not buying an illegal product.’ And she truly believed that.”
The provisions of the bill dealing with the substance are called "Meg's Law."
The first nationwide study of deaths linked to the drug was published last July in JAMA. It found more than 13 million people in the U.S. reported using the drug in their lifetime.
Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil believes the legislation, if passed, would be a big tool.
“With clearer rules and stronger enforcement tools, we can take action where the problem starts, at the point of sale,” he said.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
