The Dangers of Laughing gas

I used to work in a highly specialised, controlled environment designed to manufacture semiconductor devices and integrated circuits on the tenth floor of the Ashby Building at Queen’s University Belfast. It was a clean laboratory where continuous filtration achieved 99.99% efficiency in removing even the smallest particles.

The air we breathe is a precise mixture of gases:

Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon and trace gases 1%, and Carbon dioxide 0.04%.

On one occasion, an alarm sounded to warn that oxygen levels in the lab had risen too high, and we were instructed to evacuate until they returned to normal. It served as a powerful reminder of how vital—and how finely balanced—this mixture is for life. Disturbing it, even slightly, can have serious consequences.  So imagine my surprise when, this morning, I found something quite different on the doorstep of my apartment block, left out with the usual rubbish for collection.

There were around six blue canisters labelled Miami Magic—nitrous oxide. While commonly used for whipping cream, it is increasingly misused by young people for recreational purposes. I doubted anyone needed to whip that much cream and wondered who was using this substance here in Malta.

Nitrous oxide is now considered the third most commonly used drug among 16–24-year-olds in the UK, after cannabis and cocaine. Other surveys suggest that between 10% and 20% of teenagers and young adults in some European regions have tried it at least once. A global survey in 2021 estimated that nearly 24% of people aged 16–24 had used it. In the United States, poison centres recorded a 1,332% increase in annual cases of nitrous oxide poisoning over a 20-year period, with a particularly sharp rise from around 2023.

How it is used recreationally

Typically, the gas is released from the canister into a balloon—direct inhalation from the canister is dangerous due to the pressure and extreme cold. The user then inhales the gas from the balloon to experience its effects. In some places, young people pay around five euros for two balloons. As always, where there is demand, there are those willing to profit from it. Recent local reports have highlighted the growing use of this gas among young people in Gozo.

The Effects

Often called “laughing gas,” the effects are almost immediate but short-lived, lasting only a minute or two. They include light-headedness, euphoria, giggling, and altered perception. Because the effect is so brief, users often repeat the process multiple times in a session, increasing the risks. The name itself tends to downplay the seriousness of the substance.

Immediate risks

Nitrous oxide reduces oxygen availability in the body, which can lead to fainting, loss of consciousness, or, in extreme cases, death. The gas is stored under pressure and expands rapidly, which can cause cold burns—freezing the skin, lips, or throat if inhaled improperly. It can also affect heart and breathing function, particularly when combined with alcohol or other drugs.

With repeated or heavy use

Nitrous oxide interferes with vitamin B12, leading to deficiency. This can cause nerve damage, resulting in numbness, tingling, weakness, and difficulty walking. In severe cases, it may lead to long-term damage to the spinal cord or brain. Mental health may also be affected, with symptoms such as mood changes, confusion, and cognitive impairment. Some studies indicate that damage can develop within weeks or months of repeated use.

In response to these risks, governments are increasingly taking action. Malta has now officially banned the recreational use of nitrous oxide as of Wednesday, 29 April 2026. It is hoped that this measure will help reduce its use and prevent the harm it can cause—particularly among the young.

Chinese Empress Wu Zeitian's lost gold plea for forgiveness in 700AD found after 1300 years

There was only ever one woman who ruled in her own right as a Chinese empress in the entire history of that land. Her name was Wu Zetian, and her reign lasted from 690 to 705 AD.

She entered the imperial palace as a relatively unimportant fifth-rank concubine, but over time she rose in influence until she came to govern the entire empire. She did much to promote Buddhism in China; for example, the famous Longmen Grottoes bear witness to this patronage.

To reach such heights of power, she had to eliminate many rivals. She was known to be ruthless, even toward family, friends, and foes alike. According to one account, she smothered her newborn daughter and accused Empress Wang and Consort Xiao of the crime; both women were subsequently executed. With these key figures removed, her ascent to supreme power was swift.

In her seventy-seventh year, seeking forgiveness for the wrongs she believed she had committed, she had a golden tablet made—36.2 cm long and composed of 96% gold—inscribed with words including:

"I ask that my sins be forgiven and beg that my wrongs be erased."

This tablet was cast into a crevice on Mount Song in Henan Province around the year 700 AD. It remained hidden and lost for some 1,300 years until it was discovered by a farmer gathering herbs in 1997.

"With fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants"

Bahá’í writings

Murdered in Malta

On 2 January 2022, Paulina Dembska, a 29-year-old Polish student, was found dead in Independence Gardens in Sliema, Malta. Investigations revealed that she had been raped and murdered—an act that profoundly shocked the nation. Paulina was known to visit the gardens in the early morning to feed and care for the cats there, a quiet reflection of the kindness and compassion that defined her life. Those who knew her remember her as a deeply loving and gentle person.

She had done nothing to deserve such violence. She did not know her attacker, who had reportedly assaulted two other individuals near the gardens shortly before the crime. In the days and weeks that followed her death, vigils and memorials were held across Malta, as people came together in grief and in a shared call for justice. Today, benches and walls in and around Independence Gardens bear her name and image, a lasting tribute to her memory.

The suspect was arrested soon after the murder and has remained in custody awaiting trial ever since. At the time of the offence, he was already on probation and had a history of criminal behaviour dating back to his youth. In 2025, while in custody, he reportedly carried out another violent attack, stabbing a fellow inmate in the eye with a pen. Yet, more than four years later, no trial has taken place. For Paulina’s parents and her five siblings in Poland, the wait for justice—and for some measure of closure—continues. It is difficult to understand how such delays can persist in a case of this gravity.

“The structure of world stability and order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be sustained by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment.”

— Bahá’í Writings

Each day, as I pass the memorials dedicated to Paulina, I find myself asking why justice moves so slowly. What message does this send to victims of violence, past and present? What does it signal to those who might commit such acts? Justice delayed risks becoming justice denied—not only for Paulina, but for all who look to the system for protection and accountability.

At one of the vigils in 2022, Paulina’s family shared a poem she had written. It remains a powerful reminder of her voice, her humanity, and the values she held:

“You came naked, you’ll go naked away.

You came defenceless and weak,

you’ll be so weak and vulnerable again when you leave.

You came without money or material things.

You will also leave without money.

Your first shower was when someone washed you.

In your last one, some person will wash you.

That is what being a human being is like.

So why so much pride?

Why so much malice?

Why so much jealousy, so much hatred,

resentment and selfishness?

We have limited time on earth so why do we waste it so senselessly?”

— Paulina Dembska

Please remember Paulina, and keep her family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.