Overview

• Poison-control consultations about nitrous oxide almost doubled in 2024, with Berlin/Brandenburg 35→66, VIZ Baden‑Württemberg 6→17, and GIZ‑Nord 19→34.
• Doctors report acute poisonings and lasting neurological injury, including limb paralysis in some cases.
• A federal draft bill would prohibit purchase and possession by minors and end online sales and self‑service vending, with enactment targeted this year.
• Toxicologists urge restrictions on advertising and youth‑focused education, warning that diagnosis is hampered by the lack of a lab test.
• Safety risks extend to traffic, with EU data showing more driving incidents and a reported Frankfurt crash this summer that killed two people.