Abstract:

Introduction:
The use of "Laughing gas" – nitrous oxide –for entertainment is becoming more and more popular among young people in Bulgaria. It is usually inhaled through balloons – they are filled with nitrous oxide from canisters that are sold without regulation – including among minors and students. The effect is short – between 30 seconds and several minutes. Young people often use more than 10 canisters per day. Consumption carries several risks – including addiction.

Aim:
The aim of the present study is to conduct training of pedagogical specialists in schools in Bulgaria. The training provides theoretical knowledge and health information about the psychoactive substance nitrous oxide, which leads to addiction: where it comes from, its application in the food industry and in medicine, reasons and characteristic signs of its use among adolescents, the risks of its use, and prevention of intake for the purpose of maintaining good physical and mental health.

Materials and methods:
Preparation of a brochure "Don't let drugs turn you into a stranger" and its distribution among adolescents through pedagogical specialists in schools in Bulgaria. It was developed to protect the physical and mental health of teenagers. The information brochure is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science.

Results:
Trainings on the topic "Laughing gas - an underestimated danger" were held in schools in the country. Marked as "cigarettes", laughing gas can be freely purchased in alcohol and tobacco stores in Bulgaria, as well as the Internet. Educational specialists were familiarized with: the main effects of nitrous oxide, the intake risks, intoxication and currently popular combinations of its inhalation combined with cannabis and amphetamines, the development of an addiction, the legal framework. Video materials were also presented.

Conclusion:
By going through the program, teaching staff increase their competence regarding narcotic substances – “laughing gas” in particular, and above all – how to recognize the presence of a problem. Trained staff can distribute an electronic information leaflet to their students and their parents to highlight the risks. The multi-million dollar "army" of drug users is constantly growing, but what is the scariest – it is constantly getting younger.

Keywords:

Laughing gas, addiction, risks, prevention, education.