Back in April, Tone Deaf ran a report on a new policy instituted by the organisers of Glastonbury Festival. Amid a growing clean-up and environmental problem, organisers requested that punters leave their nangs at home before heading to this year’s event.
The King’s Meadow area of the festival site is notorious for punters ingesting nitrous oxide and as a result “some two tonnes of canisters” had to be “picked up, by hand” following last year’s Glastonbury festival. The nang use even “darkened the field’s atmosphere”.
As you can see, nangs are pretty popular and they have been for some time. Tame Impala even recorded a song about them on their latest album, Currents. However, according to the informed folks at Channel 7 News, nangs only recently came on the scene.
“They are used commercially for whipping cream, but inhaling the nitrous oxide or laughing gas from inside these canisters is now the latest craze at dance parties and music festivals,” a 7 News journalist reads during the network’s recent report on nangs.
“The effects are frightening, with doctors warning the possible consequences include brain damage and heart attack.” Cut to a doctor from AMA Victoria describing the effects of nangs, which of course, include loss of consciousness and death.
“Despite the warnings, the gas is so popular it’s now being sold online. Users can bulk buy or order balloons full for heavy duty partying. Others watch in horror as the drug takes hold.” Yes, you read that right, “heavy duty partying”.
All the while, the report shows clips of a girl absolutely losing her shit in someone’s living room, apparently displaying the dangerous effects of nangs, though the report hasn’t exactly scared the youth straight.
“Inhaling the nitrous oxide or laughing gas from inside these canisters is now the latest craze at dance parties and music festivals.”“Reporting so terrible it is actually funny. Nitrous oxide is far from a new trend, and claims of brain damage and death are so exaggerated it boggles the mind,” writes one boggled commenter on the official 7 News Melbourne Facebook page.
“7 News you are so embarrassing and out of touch. Continue you fear mongering and be proud that you are scaring people everyday from not going somewhere or doing something or making someone afraid of a demographic,” writes another.
Others, meanwhile, point out that, far from a new trend, “Inhalation of nitrous oxide for recreational use, with the purpose of causing euphoria and/or slight hallucinations, began as a phenomenon for the British upper class in 1799.”
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One clued-in commenter also reminds the program that “everything is sold online, popular or not”. Speaking of which, one such outlet has come out to distance themselves from the report, insisting they don’t encourage nang abuse.
“There has been a lot of media attention today surrounding the sale of nitrous oxide. Contrary to media reports, we DO NOT and HAVE NEVER offered balloons filled with the gas. If you do intend to misuse this product, we will NOT accept your order and we do NOT endorse businesses that do,” write NangCity.com.au.
“We would also like to remind you that we are still enforcing our strict policy regarding the misuse of nitrous oxide; if we suspect that you may abuse our products, we will not hesitate to add you to our banned customer database.”
“Also, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our customers for your continued support and we hope you enjoy your next sexy whipped cream party.” Check out the full 7 News nang report in all its glory below.
It’s really quite a disappointing sight to behold. What happened, network news? Things were going so well after 60 Minutes‘ mature, informed, and level-headed report about introducing pill-testing at music festivals.
Dangers of laughing gas party craze
Gas used by dentists is being inhaled at Melbourne parties in a dangerous new craze.Party-goers are risking permanent brain damage, or even death.7 News reporter Jackie Quist has the details, as police launch an investigation of online sites selling the gas.
Posted by 7 News Melbourne on Monday, August 17, 2015
