What is Galaxy Gas? SZA raises concern over the increasing availability of whippets at stores 

Singer-songwriter SZA recently raised concerns about the rising circulation of Galaxy Gas in the market. The 34-year-old, whose real name is Solana Imani Rowe, posted on X about raising concern over the growing availability of “whippets” or nitrous oxide cartridges in the stores and claimed that it was being sold especially to African-American youngsters.

“Sorry to be old n annoying but… Is no one gonna talk about how Galaxy Gas came out of nowhere and is being MASS marketed to black children? The government is doing NOTHING?... Since when are we selling whip its [whippets] at the store???? Somebody, protect the children,” SZA wrote in the caption.

Her post also contained a screenshot from the Google Search Engine’s results to the question, “Does NOS make you lose brain cells,” and another preview of a Yale School of Medicine article on the effects of nitrous oxide’s long-term use.

For those unaware, Galaxy Gas is an Atlanta-based firm that sells whipped cream chargers containing nitrous oxide. It also refers to the social media trend in which youngsters derive this gas and misuse its consumption for recreational purposes, which seemingly became viral over TikTok.

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All you need to know about Galaxy Gas amid SZA’s viral post

The company Galaxy Gas produces “high-quality whipped cream chargers and dispensers” which are often used in cocktails to make foams and mousse. It contains laughing gas and is available in retail stores such as Walmart and Amazon.

Unfortunately, due to an ongoing trend by the same name, the younger generation has been deriving nitrous oxide from these whipped cream chargers and inhaling them to get high. Earlier, the same was done using whippets or nitrous oxide cartridges used as recreational inhalant drugs.

In the wake of this, healthcare professionals have been warning parents and other adults against their kid’s potential exposure to the harmful gas and the dangerous trend. For instance, Dr. Gail Saltz, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine shared during his How Can I Help? podcast:

“Galaxy Gas is supposed to be marketed for culinary purposes, to make whipped cream and to add flavors to your whipped cream. Unfortunately, teens and young adults have caught on that it is nitrous oxide under pressure and can be used to get a one-minute high.”

While nitrous oxide is not a controlled substance under federal law, it is illegal to sell or distribute it for recreational use as per the USA’s Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. However, it is legal to use in food-related products such as whipped cream chargers. In this regard, Dr. Saltz further noted how laughing gas “continues to remain widely accessible for misuse” in an indirect manner.

So far, Galaxy Gas company has not addressed the ongoing trend. However, its website notes that the whipped cream charger “is a stainless-steel cartridge filled with nitrous oxide (N2O) gas,” which it says “helps cream, as well as other ingredients, form into a frothy, whipped state upon dispensing.”

Meanwhile, a pop-up disclaimer/ warning on the Galaxy Gas website reads:

“Products containing nitrous oxide are sold solely as a food processing propellant for whipped cream and culinary food use only. It is unlawful for a person to purchase products containing nitrous oxide for any purpose not intended herein and legally authorized... Intentional misuse or inhalation of contents is prohibited and poses a serious health hazard.”

Notably, as per the company’s website, “an average whipped cream charger contains 8 grams of N2O under pressure and is non-refillable.”

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In brief, exploring SZA’s follow-up comment on nitrous oxide misuse

Besides her original tweet claiming that Galaxy Gas was being “mass-marketed” to Black kids and the government was doing “nothing” to prohibit its sale in stores, SZA also made a follow-up comment under the same post by writing:

“Something about the childlike designs and marketing is so spooky like ... stars and bright colors? You tryna entice the kids on purpose? Why when u Google does it say it was founded in metro Atlanta in 2021 but no further info ... sumn tells me the owner looks like Colonel Sanders.”

Subsequently, she shared a GIF reading, “Just saying” while writing in another comment, “Anyways lemme hush my behind up. Pray for the kids.” Additionally, she also responded to a follower who pointed out that whippets have always been sold, maybe the marketing strategy just “shifted.” SZA replied by agreeing that nitrous oxide has always been a “known serious drug” but casually selling it as Galaxy Gas at the “gas station” was “spooky.”

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Nitrous oxide misuse has been in the news for the last few months since reports emerged that rapper and entrepreneur Kanye West is allegedly addicted to it. Lil Uzi Vert’s name has also come up in the same regard.

For those unaware, long-term misuse of laughing gas can lead to loss of consciousness from oxygen deprivation, heart attack due to a sudden increase in blood pressure, lack of coordination, headaches, nausea, Vitamin B12 deficiency, neurological damage, and even death.