A “nang” is most commonly Australian and UK slang for a small metal whipped‑cream charger filled with nitrous oxide gas (N₂O), which some people also inhale for a short “laughing gas” high.

Quick Scoop: What is a nang?

In everyday conversation, nang usually means:

  • A small metal canister (cream charger) containing nitrous oxide gas.
  • Used legitimately in kitchens and cafés to whip cream or infuse foams and cocktails.
  • Used recreationally by some people, who crack the canister, fill a balloon with the gas, then inhale it for a 1–5 minute high.

You’ll also see them called “chargers”, “bulbs”, “whippets/whippits”, “NOS” or “laughing gas”, but “nangs” is especially common slang in Australia and parts of the UK club scene.

How they’re meant to be used (kitchen use)

Originally, nangs are a kitchen tool, not a party drug.

  • They’re designed to fit into a cream whipper.
  • When released into cream, the nitrous oxide dissolves, then expands, creating whipped cream or foams.
  • Cafés, restaurants and home bakers use them for desserts, drinks and fancy toppings.

So if you see boxes of “cream chargers” sold in baking or hospitality supply stores, those are the same devices people call “nangs”.

Recreational use and risks

When used to get high, people usually:

  1. Break/puncture the canister into a cracker or dispenser.
  2. Fill a balloon with the gas.
  3. Inhale from the balloon to feel brief euphoria, altered sounds, and dissociation.

Short‑term effects can include:

  • Giggling or euphoria.
  • Floating or “detached” feeling.
  • Distorted sound, blurred vision, loss of coordination.

However, there are real risks, especially with heavy or repeated use:

  • Falls and accidents because of dizziness/loss of balance.
  • Lack of oxygen if inhaled directly from a canister or in enclosed spaces.
  • Nerve damage and problems with movement (ataxia, numbness, weakness) from long‑term heavy use due to vitamin B12–related nerve injury, which can sometimes be permanent.

Health and harm‑reduction services in Australia, New Zealand and the UK have issued warnings about frequent nang use for exactly these reasons.

Forum / “what people say” angle

If you see “nangs” mentioned in forum posts or group chats, people are usually talking about:

  • Bringing a box of cream chargers and a cracker to parties or festivals.
  • Doing quick “balloons” for a short buzz between drinks or sets.
  • Joking about all the empty silver canisters left on the ground after events.

At the same time, there are growing threads and articles where people share stories of numb legs, tingling hands, and hospital visits after heavy nang binges, so the tone online has shifted to be more cautious over the last few years.

Bottom note

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.