Police warning to parents after Schoolies death linked to 'nangs'

Police have urged parents to speak with their children about the potentially deadly risks of inhaling ‘nangs’ or nitrous oxide canisters to get high, after a Sydney Schoolie fell to his death from a high-rise apartment on the Gold Coast.

Hamish Bidgood was reportedly alone when he fell from the 10th floor of the Surf Regency Apartments on Laycock Street in Surfers Paradise in the early hours of November 29.

While toxicity reports are pending, it is believed the 18-year-old may have been high on nitrous oxide after ‘nanging’ when he fell to his death.

‘Nanging’ is a slang term used to describe the inhalation of the nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’ from bulbs usually used in soda syphons or for making whipped cream.

The Schoolies tragedy has led to shopkeepers in Surfers Paradise removing whipped cream canisters from their shelves.

In the wake of the school leaver’s death, the Ryde Police Area Command issued a warning to parents and teenagers of the serious harm associated with “nanging”.

‘Nanging’ far from ‘harmless’ warns drug expert

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Ryde Police shared a blog post written by the director of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, Paul Dillon.

In the post entitled ‘5 things parents should make sure their teens know about nitrous’, Mr Dillon said many young people believed nitrous oxide to be “harmless”.

He goes on to say a number of people have died after “nanging”, including some who have choked on their own vomit after inhaling the gas and passing out or falling asleep.

The inhalant can also cause the destruction of nerve tissue, particularly in the developing brain, as well as heart failure,” he said.

“Other deaths have been linked to ‘misadventure’, i.e., the person using the drug has died due to an accident such as falling over and hitting their head or the like.”

He also warned that nangs and alcohol were a dangerous mix.

Parents urged to talk to teens about nangs

“As nanging continues to grow in popularity, the number of nitrous-related injuries and deaths is likely to rise,” the drug expert added.

He urged parents to have a conversation with their teens about nanging, “or at the very least saying the word and looking for a reaction”.

“If you do discover your child or their friends are using the drug, keep calm and then talk through your concerns,” he advised.

While he said death is uncommon, Mr Dillon warned parents and teens not to underestimate the risks.