Tuesday 8 July 2014

Balloons for two pounds

Sun came out for the biggest and most colourful event of the year in Bristol. Last Saturday, a crowded St Paul's hosted the famous St Paul's Carnival with a few hours-long masquerade parade and several acts and concerts in different stages around the neighbourhood. 

However, St Paul's Carnival has left a hangover loads of garbage on streets, injured people and more than one shocking piece of news. The garbage was quickly removed from the streets the next morning. However, some injured people are still at the hospital and the shocking news still rolling around in my head.

Yesterday, two men were still in hospital recovering from wounds that followed a series of stabbing at the carnival (read here). And not only that: ambulance staff were subject to threats and abuse as they tried to treat victims (read here). It is sad that after such a wonderful and delightful day, the only reference to Saturday are these kind of news. When too much alcohol (and not only alcohol) gets involved, the worst side of the human kind shows up and six people had to be taken to hospital with stab wounds following a number of separate violent confrontations. 
In this edition, I could see many people than ever who were consuming drugs, without covering it up at all. In this country, I had come across people talking as straight as an arrow about the kind of drugs they consume in a daily basis. Where I come from, this conversation is taboo. Unless you are also part of the gang, people will feel uncomfortable even talking about it with you.

 On Saturday, there was a sign with "Balloons for 2 pounds" written on it in many of the stalls, loads of people sucking up the Nitrous Oxide (better known as Laughing Gas) from inside the balloon and hundreds of empty whippets were left on the street. I might be very naive but I have never heard about this kind of drug ever before.

 It is a dissociative drug discovered in 1772 and apparently, it has been in common usage recreationally since the early 1800s. It is used by dentists and doctors to sedate patients, but also for culinary surposes (whipped cream). With a cracker, whippets are opened and the nitrous oxide is released into a balloon to be inhaled. When inhaled, nitrous oxide can cause euphoria, sedation, pain relief, laughter, auditive distortions and other phenomena a few seconds after inhaling and can last up to 30 seconds. 

 I saw many people laying down, "recapturing" the nitrous (or exhaling into the balloon for reinhalation). This action reduces the available oxygen while increasing carbon dioxide and makes hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) more likely, which can get unconscious and fall down (and maybe hit your head against the floor).

 Although I will never comprehend why some people choose to take drugs to feel better or different at parties, those guys laying down on the street were being smart after all.

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