19-year-old Molly Day assumed 'nangs' were harmless. Now she may never walk again.

Aussie teenager Molly Day knows firsthand how dangerous nangs can be. 

Nitrous Oxide, commonly known by various names such as laughing gas, cream whips, hippy crack, nos, whippits, or nangs, is a gas that induces a short-lasting euphoric high lasting around 30 seconds. And due to its accessibility, it has gained massive popularity as a recreational drug among teens — Molly being one of them.

For many young people, they see the use of the gas as "pretty harmless" and a "bit of fun". Only recently are some starting to see just how serious the consequences can be.

Watch: the Australian Government is considering banning nangs. Post continues below.

When Molly first started using nangs, she saw it as a fun party drug. But soon, she became hooked. 

After inhaling up to two litres of the gas per day, 19-year-old Molly from Western Australia woke up one morning and felt a numb and tingling sensation in her legs. 

It was understandably a terrifying feeling. She presented at the hospital with Nitrous Oxide poisoning and her condition worsened. As a result of her extreme use of nangs, she can no longer walk, is numb from the waist down, has lost most of her sensory perception and has a catheter because she cannot control her bowel or urine. The list goes on.

Now heading to the hospital's rehabilitation unit — and likely to stay there for many months — doctors say they don't know if Molly will ever walk unaided again.

As she said to A Current Affair recently: "Two weeks ago I was a perfectly healthy, walking girl. And now I can't do anything for myself. I can't walk, I can't control anything it's so deadly. I am very scared that I'm not going to walk again."

What is Nitrous Oxide and how is it typically used?

Nitrous Oxide is a clear, odourless gas typically used by dentists and hospitals as a form of anesthesia and help patients deal with pain management. In controlled medical settings, the use of the gas is completely safe — done via a trained medical professional who administers the gas mixed with oxygen. It's pumped through a small nose mask or sucked on through a hose. 

Lots of women who have given birth might remember using the gas themselves as a form of pain relief during labour. 

The gas is also commonly used in whipped cream cannisters — and it's through this avenue in particular that many young people get their hands on it. But they don't use the cannisters to make whipped cream. Instead, they inhale the gas.

Listen to this topic be further explored on Mamamia's news podcast The Quicky. Post continues below. 

In Australia, it's not illegal to buy or sell nitrous oxide gas cannisters, in fact it's relatively cheap and readily available.

Now some states and territories are beginning to crack down on the issue, restricting the purchase of the cannisters to people over the age of 16. Current New South Wales laws state that it is an offence for someone to supply or sell the gas to another knowing it is to be used for human consumption. However, enforcing these laws has proven difficult due to the lack of legislation.

Molly's story.

Molly's mum Nicki told Mamamia's news podcast The Quicky that it's been a really challenging time for them as a family. Nicki works as an emergency department nurse and often does FIFO-sort of work, being away from the family home for three weeks at a time and then having one week off at home.

It was when Molly's twin sister came to Nicki and shared her concerns that Nicki realised her daughter was in trouble.

"We found these massive cannisters [in her room] and I was absolutely horrified, I had no idea. She had them hidden everywhere. She came home and I confronted her about it and she said it was 'no big deal' and that 'everyone does it'," Nicki recounted.

Nicki told her daughter about the risks associated with nangs, and urged Molly to stop. Four weeks later, Nicki got the call to say her daughter was going to hospital. 

Recently, Nicki shared online about her family's ordeal, and their story was covered on A Current Affair. Nicki tells Mamamia she has since copped a lot of online abuse with strangers telling her she's a "terrible parent".

"It's absolutely devastating and you beat yourself up, thinking 'what sort of parent am I'. [There's been] people saying what a terrible parent I am, and I should have picked it up. And I ask myself those exact questions — why the hell didn't I know, why didn't I notice, why wasn't I a bit firmer?" she said. 

Molly Day with her mum Nicki. Image: Supplied.

Nicki continued: "Molly has to learn to re-walk, she's having lots of trouble with her memory and coordination. It's going to be a long journey for her. She struggles with her mental health now too because she's got the self-awareness now of what she's done. She gets angry, she gets sad, she goes through all those emotions as well."

It's an experience not just limited to Molly.

Across Australia, there's been a sharp rise in the number of hospital admissions due to Nitrous Oxide poisoning. Many deal with spinal cord degeneration, nerve pain, coordination issues and more health problems long-term as a result.

Despite all of this, the gas is still considered by many in society as a safe drug and an easy way to achieve a high. Medical professionals know better however.

Dr Danielle McMullen is the Vice President of the Australian Medical Association. She said to The Quicky that the effects of 'nangs' on the nervous system can be very serious.

"We know that mental health is linked to your nervous system — our brain controls both our physical and mental health. I've certainly seen patients who've had long-term issues with using Nitrous Oxide that it has affected their mental health and their physical health," she said.

Dr McMullen also said there is a growing sense of frustration within the medical community that the sale and distribution of Nitrous Oxide remains quite unregulated.

"It's a growing issue. The message is not getting out there, that this is not a safe and fun thing to do — there are serious consequences," she explained. "It's good there are teenagers shining a light on how dangerous it has been for them, but it's devastating that it's taken these tragic stories to get the message out that we can't be complacent when it comes to Nitrous Oxide."

As for Nicki, she wants all parents out there to know this.

"Ask the questions. Molly never thought something like this would happen to her. It's the point of every conversation that I have with people about it — be aware of what it can do to you, because you don't get a second chance. I don't wish it on any parent."

If you would like to contribute to Molly Day's GoFundMe to assist with her medical bills, you can do so here. 

Feature Image: Supplied.