Lawsuit Alleges Amazon Nitrous Oxide Canisters Left Customers With Paralysis, Brain Damage, Other Injuries

A group of 20 plaintiffs say they suffered severe injuries after purchasing Amazon nitrous oxide canisters they say were sold for illegal recreational use.

A lawsuit filed against Amazon.com and several sellers of large nitrous oxide canisters claims the companies knowingly marketed and sold the gas in large quantities, flavored varieties and packaging styles that made clear the products were intended for illegal recreational use.

The complaint (PDF) was brought jointly in King County Superior Court in Washington state on April 27 by a group of 20 plaintiffs who say they all suffered personal injuries as a result of purchasing Amazon nitrous oxide canisters, which the website distributed as a third-party seller.

In addition to Amazon.com, the lawsuit includes a long list of defendants from across the nitrous oxide industry, including Galaxy Gas, Miami Magic, Baking Bad, Cosmic Gas, Exoticwhip, Smartwhip and others, all of whom sold their products through the popular retail delivery service.

Plaintiffs claim that the volume of gas contained in the nitrous oxide sold by the defendants through Amazon could have contributed to serious injuries for users, including paralysis, brain damage, vitamin B12 deficiency and addiction.

Nitrous Oxide Abuse Risks

Nitrous oxide is a gas usually used for medical and dental anesthesia and in some food preparation techniques. However, it can also be abused by inhalation, which provides a brief, euphoric high at the risk of potentially severe adverse side effects. These involve various physical, neurological and cognitive problems, including the potential for death.

As illegal recreational use continues to grow, plaintiffs argue that nitrous oxide canisters sold through Amazon are clearly being marketed for misuse. The complaint points to large canister sizes, sweet and fruity flavors, bright packaging and the sale of inhalation accessories as signs that the products are aimed at recreational users, rather than legitimate culinary purposes.

The new complaint joins a growing number of nitrous oxide lawsuits being filed nationwide, which allege that companies illegally marketed large gas canisters for recreational misuse, resulting in severe and permanent injuries.

Nitrous Oxide Addiction Allegations

According to the lawsuit, Amazon and the first-party sellers know that recreational nitrous oxide use is not only illegal throughout the U.S., but also that it can cause serious health problems and addiction. However, nitrous oxide canisters remain for sale on the site in order to increase the profits for all involved, at the expense of consumers’ health and, potentially, their lives.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas and whippits, is applied in medical settings with supplementary oxygen to reduce the risk of adverse side effects. However, Amazon nitrous oxide canisters are sold with no such supplementation and no warnings about the risks of pure inhalation, plaintiffs say.

“When inhaled in pure form, without combination with an appropriate concentration of oxygen, nitrous oxide results in diminished blood oxygen levels or hypoxia. Hypoxia can cause numerous negative health outcomes including damage to the brain, heart, or other organs, sometimes severe enough to cause death.”

– Amanda Bogusta et al v. Amazon.com Services LLC et al

Nitrous Oxide Inhalation Side Effects

Regular pure nitrous oxide inhalation can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to demyelination of nerve cells. Myelin is a protective protein sheath that covers the body’s nerve cells. When it degrades the cells become exposed to potential damage, including vision impairment and loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, a lack of coordination, touch sensitivity, cognition impairment and depression, according to the complaint.

Additionally, if nitrous oxide is inhaled directly from a canister, the cold temperature can cause frostbite on the lips, mouth, throat, vocal cords and lungs, the lawsuit warns. For this reason, the gas is often used to fill balloons first and then inhaled from them to avoid such injuries, but neither sellers nor Amazon describe how to decrease the safety risks.

Instead, some are sold with nozzles to directly and efficiently inhale the gas, increasing the risk of frostbite injuries. Plaintiffs note that this type of marketing makes it clear that Amazon and the first-party sellers are aware, and expect consumers to inhale nitrous oxide for illegal, recreational use.

Injuries suffered by plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit include abnormal blood counts, asphyxiation, blood clots, frostbite, headaches, bowel and bladder problems, lightheadedness, loss of consciousness, numbing of the feet, palpitations, paralysis, and mental health disturbances such as delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and depression. Some have also suffered even more severe injuries, including loss of motor skills and coordination, memory loss, and spinal cord or brain damage.

The plaintiffs present claims of failure to warn, negligence, breach of implied warranty, design defect, and liability for unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce. They seek both compensatory and punitive damages.

Amazon Nitrous Oxide Canister Lawsuits

The complaint is just one of a steadily increasing number of nitrous oxide canister lawsuits filed against Amazon over the last year, many of which also include Galaxy Gas, Baking Bad and other major nitrous oxide retailers as defendants.

According to these lawsuits, manufacturers and Amazon fail to provide sufficient safety warnings and openly and repeatedly violate the law by allowing and facilitating the sale of nitrous oxide for illegal consumption.

Nitrous oxide attorneys are currently offering free consultations to individuals and families who may be eligible for compensation through a nitrous oxide lawsuit.

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