TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Commissioner General Suyudi Ario Seto has called on all parties to anticipate the misuse of the circulation of whip pink or whippets which contain nitrous oxide (N2O) gas. This item is legal in Indonesia, but it is often used for medical purposes, such as an anesthetic in certain medical procedures and is commonly used in the culinary world.
Unfortunately, Suyudi said, whip pink is often misused by young people to produce euphoric effects. "To stimulate the feeling of 'being high' or to seek fantasy euphoria," said Suyudi at the BNN Building on Wednesday, 18th February 2026.
Suyudi warned that the misuse of whip pink poses health risks and can even lead to death. According to him, its neurological effects are very fatal. "Even more worrying, whip pink is freely sold in entertainment venues," he said.
Agil Wahyu Wicaksono, a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition at IPB University, said that the use of the gas for purposes other than intended could have serious health effects. According to him, excessive or inappropriate use of N2O gas can be harmful to the body.
"The toxic effects of the gas occur because N2O disrupts the function of vitamin B12 in the body, which plays an important role in maintaining nerve health," Agil said, as quoted from IPB University's official website.
This damage can cause various symptoms, including tingling, weakness, balance disorders, and nerve damage. Nerve disorders that often arise from the misuse of whip pink include damage to the spinal cord.
This means that the more often someone uses whip pink improperly, the greater the risk of nerve damage. Not only that, but its inappropriate use of the gas can also alter the hemoglobin in the blood. Therefore, blood is unable to bind oxygen optimally.
This condition, Agil said, can cause the skin to appear bluish and the body tissues to experience oxygen deficiency. "Inhaling N2O outside of medical supervision is very dangerous and can cause death," he said.
Read: Indonesia's BNN Destroys 102 Kilograms of Confiscated Drugs
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