“From LOLs to Lows: Rethinking Nangs and Youth Harm Reduction” presented by Jacqui Cameron & Julaine Allan

Nitrous Oxide (N2O), colloquially known as “laughing gas” or “nangs”, is a dissociative anaesthetic that has become increasingly popular among young people. The growing popularity of N2O can be attributed to its ease of access through social media and messaging platforms. Concerns of the harmful effects of N2O on users’ physical and psychological health have grown; yet this growing concern is not matched by harm reduction support. This mismatch highlights not only the need to develop harm reduction resources for N2O but also for these resources to be adapted to social media platforms. This study drew on the lived experience of young people who used N2O to develop harm reduction resources for dissemination on social media.

Julaine Allan is a Professor of Mental Health and Addictions at the Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW. Julaine is a researcher-practitioner in substance use and mental health with a background in social work and human rights. She has worked in mental health, child protection and substance treatment. Her current research investigates the implementation of psycho-social interventions for substance dependence and the provision of drug and alcohol and mental health services for young people and people with cognitive impairment.

Jacqui Cameron is an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong and Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne. She is a dedicated social worker with over two decades of experience in practice, research, evaluation, and training across diverse settings. She serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief for Advances in Dual Diagnosis (ADD), an international journal that encourages submissions on co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders from various contributors, including academics, practitioners, and those with lived experience. Additionally, she co-convenes the Australian and New Zealand Realist Research Group. Jacqui is dedicated to the translation of research into practice. Her work is characterised by a commitment to evidence-based research combined with lived-experience in the management of complex issues, including substance use, mental health, and domestic violence, through a social work lens.