Item ‘more dangerous than cocaine’ on sale in Australia

Some Aussies were furious a household product, which can be abused by drug users, was freely listed for sale, “putting lives at risk”.

Aussies have been left in shock after a household product that can be abused by drug users was spotted for sale on a major retailer’s Marketplace.

Creamer Charger Bulbs for Whipped Cream Dispensers, made by the brand Kayser, were recently listed by a third party on Kmart’s new online store.

But while it’s not sold by the Australian retailer, the sight of it listed for sale on an official Kmart website left some Aussies in shock at how easy it is to purchase the potentially dangerous item.

The items have since disappeared from the online store.

Nitrous oxide cartridges are a legal product and intended for use in kitchens, but they can also be abused and used as a recreational drug known colloquially as “nangs”.

The chemical compound, commonly known as laughing gas, induces short-term euphoric effects when inhaled and has spiked in usage globally since the pandemic.

Regular use can lead to a stream of negative side effects including dizziness, weakness in the legs and impaired memory.

Use of the substance, most common among 16-24 year olds, has become such a widespread issue, one neurologist warned it is “more dangerous than cocaine”.

Despite the risks, the charger bulbs are frequently obtained online through a variety of kitchen retailers and specialty sellers as the sale of nitrous oxide product is not regulated, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said.

“The TGA does not regulate the sale of nitrous oxide. Under the Poisons Standard, monitoring of compliance and enforcement of the controls on access to nitrous oxide is the responsibility of the states and territories,” a spokesperson told news.com.au.

It is not explicitly illegal to possess or sell nitrous oxide for legitimate culinary purposes in any Australian state.

However, generally, it is an offence for someone to sell or supply it to another, knowing that it will be used for human consumption.

Many states have more specific laws. In Western Australia, the purchase of ‘nangs’ is limited to registered food and beverage businesses. In South Australia, it is an offence to sell them to anyone under 18, or between the hours of 10pm and 5am.

On Thursday, Queensland’s state government announced that a new bill was passed overnight, allowing for Queensland Health to seize all lawful smoking products found at illegal stores that are ‘tainted’ by being supplied or stored alongside illicit tobacco and vapes, including confectionary, food and other goods. This includes nitrous oxide bulbs and canisters.

Creamer charger bulbs are a common kitchen aid, but they can also be abused and used as a recreational drug known colloquially as 'nangs'. Picture: Facebook.

For this reason, shoppers were alarmed to see the product available on the recently launched Kmart Marketplace, a new the platform that enables third parties to sell products directly to the budget retailer’s shoppers.

Taking to the Tea Time Facebook page, an anonymous member shared a screenshot of the product’s listing, which sees it priced at $27 for 10 canisters.

“The tea is … Kmart is now selling ‘creamer charger bulbs’,” the post read.

“I think someone from PR needs a tip off.”

A number of commenters on the post said there was no issue with this, noting their uses in cooking and baking.

“I’m confused about what the issue is? They actually have a legitimate use. I use them myself for cream,” said one person.

“Am I missing something? You actually do need these to create whipped cream in the commercial hospitality graded canisters. Not everywhere use the pre-charged aerosols?” another asked.

But, the vast majority had serious concerns.

“This is so freakin’ sad man,” one commenter said.

“Wow this is wild,” another agreed.

The use of nangs has spiked in recent years. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

Many were specifically concerned about how accessible the “dangerous” product is these days for young people – the primary demographic of users.

Several other retailers, such as Big W, Woolworths and Amazon sell Kayser Soda Charger bulbs, but these are fuelled by CO2 instead of nitrous oxide.

Following two rounds of public consultation, in October 2021 nitrous oxide was included in Schedule 6 of the Poison Standard for non-therapeutic use – dictating that they have a moderate potential for causing harm, which can be reduced through the use of distinctive packaging with strong warnings and safety directions on the label.

The current scheduling classification of nitrous oxide for non-therapeutic use requires implementation of safety warnings and directions for these products and restrictions over their storage and disposal. No restrictions were placed on the sale to, or possession by, young people.

This does explain, though, why most websites and retailers selling them have a warning message either as you open the website, or leading up to the check-out stage, asking shoppers to confirm that they are aware of the dangers, or relevant laws.

It is unclear if Kmart had this before the product was seemingly removed.

A video showing a shopper searching for the item and finding it on the Kmart Marketplace was seen by news.com.au.

At the time of writing, the charger bulbs were no longer available.

Kmart declined to comment.

Originally published as Item ‘more dangerous than cocaine’ on sale in Australia