The Dartmouth Police Department is warning of the dangers of inhaling nitrous oxide after several cans were recently discovered outside of a school.

 

“Recreational use of nitrous oxide is not harmless,” the police department wrote in a social media post Wednesday. “Misuse can lead to serious injuries, permanent damage or even death.”

 

Police did not specify which school the cans were found at.

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is traditionally used as a sedative for patients in dental offices and hospitals. It’s also found in pressurized cans of whipped cream.

 

The inhalation of nitrous oxide is “unfortunately becoming increasingly popular,” especially among teenagers and young adults, according to police.

 

Nitrous oxide, when advertised as being “for culinary use only,” is typically sold in a variety of flavors. Police said the colorful cannisters and brand names make nitrous oxide “more accessible, easier to misuse and visually appealing.”

 

See more at wpri.com.