Premier League ‘hippy crack’ addicts risk being unable to walk or talk properly if they don’t give it up, neurologist warns, after one star was treated by paramedics
Premier League laughing gas addicts have been warned of the potential neurological damage the illegal drug can cause.
The message comes after Mail Sport revealed this week that a top-flight footballer was aided by emergency services after being found surrounded by canisters of illegal nitrous oxide at his city centre flat.
It is thought that the player, who we are choosing not to name, had fallen off the wagon after attending rehab to try and kick his habit.
Nitrous oxide, known as ‘hippy crack’, is contained in canisters, which can be super-sized. The canisters are then used to fill balloons which are inhaled to provide a quick ‘high’. Usage carries a series of risks including heart attack, strokes and brain damage.
Neurologist Dr. David Nicholl has issued a cautionary note to habitual users, revealing that consequences can include a loss of motor function.
A Premier League footballer diagnosed with a laughing gas addiction was treated by paramedics last month
In November, the law was changed to make nitrous oxide a controlled Class C Drug. The player’s club are aware of the incident
Dr David Nicholl (pictured in 2019) issued a warning about the potential dangers of the drug
‘It has the ability to really damage the brain.’ He told Mail Sport. ‘Pure nitrous oxide can cause deficiency in vitamin B12, which is important for the production of myelin – the covering over the spinal cord.
‘Patients will complain of difficulty walking, stiffness in arms and legs and the effects could end up with blood clots in the lungs.’
In November, the law was changed to make nitrous oxide a controlled Class C Drug. Possession for inhalation is now deemed a criminal offence although a conviction may be unlikely unless it appears as though there is a desire to supply others.
New, super-sized canisters can deliver 80 times the usual dose, while canisters can be obtained online and relatively cheaply as long as the buyer confirms they are over 18 and it is to be used for food production.
There are concerns that its usage is rife among Premier League footballers with routine drug tests unlikely to detect its presence.
In 2013, Kyle Walker was seen inhaling it while fellow England star Raheem Sterling was given a dressing down by then-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers for doing likewise.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Matteo Guendouzi, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil, were filmed taking it at a 2018 pre-season event while a year later Jack Grealish, then of Aston Villa, was pictured inhaling from a balloon.
Last year, Everton’s Dele Alli was pictured surrounded by gas canisters and alcohol.
Dr. Nicholl admitted that is it difficult to conclude on the long term effects of heavy use of the drug, though he provided a couple of bleak case studies among his patients during his more than 20 years as a consultant neurologist.
‘The main issue is that many people don’t perceive it as a drug at all,’ he continued. ‘They think it’s a joke.
‘If you are a professional sports person, you look after your body more than anyone else, so if they knew of long term effects there’s no way [they’d continue to take it].
Jack Grealish, then of Aston Villa, was pictured inhaling from a balloon in 2019
Raheem Sterling was told off for inhaling laughing gas by Brendan Rodgers when he was at Liverpool
‘I have patients who have long term neurological effects for two to three years, meaning some are unable to walk or run properly. Which, if you are a professional sports person, would obviously be a real issue.’
Despite the recent change in legislation, Dr. Nicholl, who stood for the Liberal Democrats at the 2019 general election, is not convinced that will solve the problem.
‘Education helps.’ He added. ‘Demonising people doesn’t help with addiction.’
