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I am a recovering nitrous oxide addict who once set himself on fire, so I understand the terrible predicament he found himself in. Many people do nitrous recrea
by okareaman 6y ago
I am a recovering nitrous oxide addict who once set himself on fire, so I understand the terrible predicament he found himself in. Many people do nitrous recreationally as a party drug, but there's a reason they call it 'hippie crack.' Some become obsessed with it
- seibelj 6y agoI have done nitrous before - what about it makes you more likely to be set on fire? Just risk of passing out while smoking a cigarette maybe?
- userbinator 6y agoIt's an oxidiser; it can make things which are normally not flammable become flammable, as well as accelerate burning.
- okareaman 6y agoIt's amazing how fast it makes things burn. They sell nitrous at auto stores for super charged engines but I never did that because it's very dirty
- tashoecraft 6y agoNitrous in cars cools the chamber allowing you to add more fuel/oxygen. It’s also not for “super charged” engines specifically.
- okareaman 6y agoThat's not how I understand it. You may be referring to some other use I am not aware of. I'm not a car guy. "A nitrous oxide engine is an internal combustion engine in which oxygen for burning the fuel comes from the decomposition of nitrous oxide, N2O, rather than air. The system increases the engine's power output by allowing fuel to be burned at a higher-than-normal rate, because of the higher partial pressure of oxygen injected with the fuel mixture." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide_engine
- js2 6y agoSupercharged usually refers to an engine with a supercharger, which is a crankshaft driven pump used to force more air into the engine. It is similar to a turbocharger, except a turbo is driven by exhaust gas. N2O is typically used with a normally aspirated gasoline engine. It's just another way to get more oxygen into the combustion chamber. https://www.racingjunk.com/news/drag-race-101-its-a-gas/ https://www.racingjunk.com/news/drag-race-101-its-a-gas/
- modoc 6y agoYou can absolutely run N2O with a turbo or supercharged engine. I ran a NXExpress rig on my '99 Eclipse GSX back in the day (with a big turbo).
- CyberDildonics 6y agoThey didn't say it couldn't be used with a super charger, they said it wasn't exclusively used with a super charger.
- ashtonkem 6y agoThis same effect can be accomplished by spraying cold water into the air inlet, and this is used in some high end cars and jet engines. It also cools hot points in the engine, letting you push the compression higher without causing premature detonation. Does mean you have to refill a water tank too, but it also lets you get more power without producing any more NOx, which are bad for both the environment and people.
- kube-system 6y agoThe nitrous itself also has more oxygen in it than air does.
- tyingq 6y agoIt is a nice complement, as compressed air from a turbo or super charger is very hot. The nitrous cools it down. People also use a water or alcohol spray for a similar reason.
- Scoundreller 6y agoWhile it will be cooler, it also reacts better than O2 from the air. Especially since you’re injecting 100% N2O instead of 79% inert atmospheric air.
- okareaman 6y agoI used to crack a bunch of cartridges into a large plastic bag such as an outdoor trash bag. I didn't realize N2O was an accelerant so I was smoking. The tip of the cig fell on the bag and it went up in a flash. Fortunately it burned quickly and only singed me.
- yarg 6y agoIt's a better oxidiser than oxygen - also the reason for nos tanks in cars.
- okareaman 6y agoThe dangers of nitrous are hypoxia, B vitamin depletion, nerve damage, dissociative effects and extreme compulsion to use. I was in treatment with a dentist's wife, who really screwed herself in a bad way with all of these effects and could hardly walk because of nerve damage to her feet.
- okareaman 6y agoI forgot to mention, it's a rich man's drug, another way it's similar to cocaine. I probably spent $150,000 on cases of whippets (25 boxes x 24 whippets to a box.) My first reaction to Tony Hsieh and nitrous was "He had too much money for his own good." I ran out of money before I could kill myself with it.
- nyolfen 6y agohere's a writeup that really stuck with me for the last decade about the surprising level of organized crime in selling nitrous at music festivals: https://www.villagevoice.com/2010/07/06/inside-the-nitrous-mafia-an-east-coast-hippie-crack-ring/ https://www.villagevoice.com/2010/07/06/inside-the-nitrous-m...
- okareaman 6y agoHeadshop owners who sell nitrous to obviously addicted people are generally not good citizens. I'd guess they make most of their profit from addicts like me. I only got cut off once after a 2wk/$10k run when I was almost too sick and incoherent to make a purchase. Every other store gladly kept selling to me when I was in that condition.
- Scoundreller 6y agoIt’s (comparatively) very cheap in bulk tank form. But that’s much harder to come by for most people. The small whippets cartridges... you’re paying for the steel, getting a gas in there and markups. If they filled it with room air, it would cost the same.
- 6y ago
- at-fates-hands 6y agoThe documentary of Steve-O's (from Jackass fame) descent into madness via nitrous oxide and other drugs was terrifying. The way he would convulse and then have conversations with his Mom and talk to the voices in his head? The whole thing left me speechless. Steve-O Demise & Rise [MTV Special]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ulzP2XUOg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ulzP2XUOg
- TedShiller 6y agoI think one "advantage" could be that it's an invisible drug. People don't know that you're doing it, unless of course you have neurological or organ damage, but even then it could be explained away.
- okareaman 6y agoYou start getting incoherent after heavy use, even when not currently using. People who know you notice. Jewel said she left an event early because she was upset to see Tony was acting that way. It takes 4-6 days to recover from a heavy run, including getting feeling back in your nerve endings. Taking B vitamins help.
- selestify 6y agoHow much is a "heavy run"? Another commenter mentioned buying many cases.
- Scoundreller 6y agoSome rather serious side effects have been described in a vegetarian (probably already b12 deficient) after just an hour of continuous exposure. While that was in a clinical setting, it can be quick if you’re already at risk. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)75143-6/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6...
- okareaman 6y agoI'd need 4 to 6 days to recover after doing 2 cases or 1200 whippets. I'd be extremely sick for the first 2 or 3 days.
- Scoundreller 6y agoI’d go further and say everyone taking nitrous oxide should be taking b12 supplements.
- 6y ago