Brisbane Man Found Dead After Five Weeks of Nitrous Oxide Use

Daniel Jones, a 36-year-old Brisbane fruit shop owner and father of five, was found dead in his bedroom in February 2026. Abc reported that his death certificate lists the cause as plastic bag and nitrous oxide asphyxia. Jones had paid off his business loan and was planning a holiday with a handwritten bucket list nearby at the time.

His mother, Tessa Jones, said his recreational use of nitrous oxide lasted five or six weeks. She described him as loud and boisterous, adding that the substance took hold quickly. , and one supplier used the term nangs in its business name.

Australia imported 249 tonnes of nitrous oxide in 2015, rising to almost 3,800 tonnes in 2025, according to Australian Border Force data cited by Abc. The customs value increased from about $2 million to $19 million over the same period. The substance remains illegal to sell for recreational use under federal law but is available over the counter at tobacconists in most states.

Associate Professor Jacqui Cameron of the University of Wollongong told Abc there is an absence of national prevalence data on nitrous oxide use. She said many young people view it as safe because it is legal and easy to obtain, and she has heard reports of children as young as 10 using it at school.

Sam Bramman, 21, told Abc he first tried nitrous oxide at a party in 2023 and became addicted shortly afterward.

He described a psychotic episode in which he fled his Sydney home, inhaled the gas while driving, lost consciousness, and was later admitted to a psychiatric ward. He has since campaigned for tighter controls. Dr Jessamine Soderstrom, a toxicologist at Royal Perth Hospital, told Abc that clinicians are seeing increasing harm including nerve damage to the spinal cord and psychiatric complications.