• Posted May 4, 2026

Social Media Videos, Easy Access Raise Risk of Teen Inhalant Use

New research is raising alarms about inhalants, which are often portrayed online as harmless while putting teens at real risk.

Two new studies point to a troubling pattern: Younger teens, especially girls, may be more vulnerable — and social media is a major source of exposure.

In one study, recently published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers reviewed 30 videos about nitrous oxide — often called "laughing gas" — posted in early 2025.

Those videos averaged 23 million views. Some showed how to use it, with no age restrictions or health warnings. Others promoted “free trials” of nitrous oxide products, highlighting how easy and accessible these substances can be for teens.

"Inhalants remain one of the least-studied and least-discussed substance-use categories, despite the seriousness of their health risks," said lead author Rachel Hoopsick, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Inhalants — like nitrous oxide, spray paint or glue — can cause brain damage, heart rhythm problems, hearing loss, organ failure and even sudden death after a single use.

"The legal ambiguity surrounding the use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes, its accessibility and affordability make it an attractive option for youth seeking a quick high, while online videos on sites like Instagram or TikTok often downplay or fail to mention potential risks," corresponding author Andrew Yockey said in a news release. He’s an assistant professor of public health at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

A second study, publishing in the July issue of the journal Preventive Medicine, analyzed data from more than 33,000 teens who took part in a national survey on drug use between 2021 and 2023. 

Just 2.2% of teens reported using inhalants in the past year, but researchers said that’s more than a half-million U.S. adolescents.

Inhalant use was linked to behavioral problems like fighting and stealing.

"Our work suggests that we still know too little about how social and digital environments shape perceptions of inhalants, especially nitrous oxide, and how that may influence normalization and use among youth," Hoopsick said.

More information

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has more on inhalant use.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, May 4, 2026