A grieving mother is urging the public to recognize the deadly risks of nitrous oxide—commonly known as “hippy crack”—after her 30-year-old daughter died from an accidental overdose. Ashley Weir first began using nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, in 2020 after being introduced to it while working at a restaurant. Her mother, Carissa Garabedian, 58, explained that Ashley started with small whipped cream cartridges before progressing to larger tanks.
“All we know at the moment is that it was an accidental overdose caused by nitrous oxide, but we’re still waiting for the full autopsy report,” Carissa said. Ashley, a travel advisor from Pompano Beach, Florida, struggled with addiction for years, attending rehab multiple times. After a month-long treatment program in 2021, she remained sober for two years before relapsing in August 2023, according to Daily Mail.
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Tragically, on November 29, 2024, Ashley was found unresponsive in her bed, surrounded by nitrous oxide tanks. “I never thought I was going to lose her to this,” Carissa admitted. “I’m continuing to struggle every day with the finality of it all.” Despite its dangers, nitrous oxide remains legal in the U.S. for non-medical use, though selling it for inhalation can lead to prosecution.
Carissa believes its accessibility contributed to her daughter’s death. “She could buy it online or at the gas station, and no one would know she was taking it,” Carissa said. “The legality of it all made it a very confusing thing. Why would it be sold everywhere if it were that dangerous?” Nitrous oxide, often used medically as a sedative, deprives the brain and body of oxygen when misused.
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Carissa is now calling for a ban on its sale in vape shops, where large tanks are readily available. “Do vape shops really need to be selling these tank-sized cans of nitrous oxide?” she questioned. “No one is walking into a vape shop to buy it for whipped cream or for dentists. It’s very misleading.” Carissa hopes her daughter’s story will prevent others from falling victim to the drug.
“She was full of life and love and was an amazing individual with a heart of gold,” she said. “I feel like I’m expected to live every day with part of me that’s completely broken.” With rising recreational use, advocates like Carissa are pushing for stricter regulations to curb the sale of nitrous oxide before more lives are lost.
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