Laughing gas, chemically known as nitrous oxide (N2O), is a colorless, odorless, and odorless gas. It is widely used in the medical, industrial, and military fields, and is known as "laughing gas" because it causes a short, reversible euphoric sensation when inhaled, making people "laugh" out loud without even realizing it. In recent years, laughing gas has become rapidly popular among young people and is even seen as a "fashionable" form of entertainment.
However, whether laughing gas is a drug or not has been a highly debated topic. From a scientific point of view, laughing gas is not included in the international drug convention and is not considered a drug. However, in some countries and regions, laughing gas is considered an illegal drug and is heavily regulated and cracked down.
First, we need to understand what drugs are. According to the international drug control conventions, drugs refer to substances that have an effect on the human nervous system, such as opium, cocaine, etc. These substances can alter a person's mental state and behavior patterns and can lead to addiction and harm to physical health. Laughing gas, on the other hand, is not addictive and does not cause long-term damage to the body, although it has a short-term euphoria. Therefore, laughing gas does not meet the definition of a drug by definition.
Secondly, the history of the use of laughing gas dates back to the late 18th century, when it was used as an analgesic in dental procedures. Now, laughing gas is still widely used in the medical field, such as labor analgesia, surgical anesthesia, etc. This shows that laughing gas is safe when used appropriately and has some medical value. Therefore, it may be too extreme and unreasonable to think of laughing gas as a drug.
However, there are also those who believe that laughing gas, although it is not a drug in the traditional sense, has a certain harm. Long-term use of laughing gas can cause physical and mental damage, such as affecting the nervous system, leading to decreased immunity, etc. In addition, the abuse of laughing gas can also lead to public health problems and social problems. As a result, some countries and regions treat laughing gas as a "soft" drug and regulate and manage it to a certain extent.
To sum up, there is controversy as to whether laughing gas counts as a drug. From a scientific point of view, laughing gas is not included in the international drug convention and is not considered a drug. However, the long-term use or abuse of laughing gas can cause physical and mental damage, so some countries and regions consider it a "soft" drug and regulate and manage it. For individuals, laughing gas should be properly recognized and used to avoid abuse and addiction.