newsgroups: alt.drugs.psychedelics
In article <43pbr4$fui@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, davepsych1@aol.com (DavePsych1) writes:
> This is what Robert M. Julien, M.D., PhD. (pharmacology) has to say about
> nitrous oxide inhalation in his 1995 textbook on Psychopharmacology
> entitled "A Primer of Drug Action":
> 
> At a 50 percent concentration in oxygen, nitrous oxide induces a state of
> behavioral disinhibition, analgesia, and euphoria.  Since at least 50
> percent of the inhaled gas mixture must consist of nitrous oxide to
> achieve these effects, extreme caution must be exercised in order to
> prevent hypoxia (lack of sufficinet oxygen to the brain).  This
> necessitates administration through an anesthesia machine or similar
> device.  IF THE NITROUS OXIDE WERE MIXED ONLY WITH ROOM AIR, HYPOXIA WOULD
> RESULT, WHICH WOULD PRODUCE IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE.  
> 

> Now the question is, is he talking about a room full of nitrous oxide,
> breathing in continuously over time, or is he saying that short, quick
> bursts can cut off oxygen to the brain long enough to cause neural
> degeneration/death?
> 

There's no problem with inhaling up to about a 79%-21% N2O-oxygen mixture, as
air is only 21% O2 anyhow.  Mixtures like that are what you get at the dentist's
office, and as mentioned above ("anaesthesia machine..."), this is no problem.
It's obviously worse to blow out all the oxygen in your lungs and replace it
with N2O, but really, folks, in the worst case, you hold in the N2O (possibly taking
another hit immediately after exhaling the first and breathing a few times) until
you pass out, and then your body takes over the breathing for you.  This will
definitely cause irreversible brain damage (printed in scary BIG LETTERS above),
but not very much, I imagine.  Same story with taking a drink or two, or with
holding your breath too long, for that matter.  Now, if you're dumb enough to start
right in again on the N2O upon awakening, you're asking for more trouble...

Keith