Congressman Kean hosts roundtable on nitrous oxide misuse, introduces bipartisan bill to restrict access
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. hosted a roundtable Thursday with constituents, first responders, medical professionals, nonprofit representatives and local leaders to discuss preventing the misuse of nitrous oxide as he introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at restricting recreational access to the substance.
Kean, R-N.J., introduced the Mitigating Abuse of Nitrous-oxide Nationwide and Reducing Inhalation-Related Neurological Outcomes Act, or MANNARINO Act, alongside U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.
Nitrous oxide products, sometimes referred to as laughing gas, whippets or Galaxy Gas, can be used for legitimate purposes but are also misused recreationally.
“Today we honor the memory of John Robert Mannarino by working to prevent other families from experiencing the harms of nitrous oxide misuse,” said Congressman Kean (NJ-07). “Nitrous oxide whippets and tanks, widely available in corner stores and online, pose a danger to the community and must be treated accordingly. After hearing John’s story, I introduced the MANNARINO Act to raise awareness of the dangers of nitrous oxide and prevent future tragedies from occurring. Thank you to the Mannarino family for bringing this important issue forward and attending this roundtable discussion.”
The legislation is named for John Robert Mannarino, a Bridgewater resident who died in November 2025, with nitrous oxide identified as a major contributing factor, according to Kean’s office. Kean introduced the legislation following outreach from Mannarino’s family.
“Nitrous oxide, or ‘whippets,’ are far from harmless — abuse can cause paralysis, nervous system failure, and death. That’s why I’m teaming up with Rep. Kean on this bipartisan bill to help states crack down on the sale of nitrous oxide, ban flavored versions marketed to kids, and put real teeth behind these protections. We owe it to every Jersey family to close this loophole before more damage is done and more lives are lost,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05).
The Mannarino family said they hope the legislation can prevent other families from experiencing a similar loss.
“Our family is living with a tremendous loss that can never be replaced because of the misuse of nitrous oxide,” said the Mannarino family. “We lost our loving son, brother, and husband, John, and while we cannot bring him back, we can fight to prevent another family from experiencing this devastating tragedy. We hope Congress will act now to protect lives and ensure that what happened to our family does not happen to another.”
Bridgewater Councilman Timothy Ring, a longtime volunteer EMT, also participated in the discussion.
“Thank you to Congressman Kean and the Mannarino family for bringing this issue to our attention,” said Bridgewater Councilman Timothy Ring. “I hope to see more discussion on ways to prevent the misuse of substances from the start rather than only after a crisis has occurred. As a councilman and volunteer EMT of nearly 40 years, I will continue to work towards more education on the symptoms, signs, and effects of nitrous oxide.”
Andi Williams, executive director of CiC for Prevention and Recovery, stressed the importance of education and prevention.
“The courage of the Mannarino family is inspiring, but it’s so sad that it often takes a tragedy to drive change,” said Andi Williams, Executive Director of CiC for Prevention and Recovery. “Education around the risks and availability of these harmful substances is critical and, with the support of leaders like Congressman Kean and with adequate funding from the administration, precious young lives can be saved. At CiC, we have brought about a documented reduction in youth substance use in the communities we serve showing that it is possible to drive that change. I was grateful to be a part of today’s conversation and to witness a group of changemakers committed to these efforts.”
Mental Health Association CEO Robert Davison also expressed support for efforts to address nitrous oxide misuse.
“Congressman Kean is right to raise this important public health issue. Nitrous Oxide abuse is a serious problem, impacting many families and most of all young people,” said Mental Health Association CEO Robert Davison. “Limiting its access and raising awareness about its negative and potentially deadly effects are important first steps in this important conversation. His bi-partisan bill and the highly engaging forum he facilitated today gives me hope we can make progress and protect people from the harmful effects of Nitrous Oxide.”
School nurse and family nurse practitioner Lisa Lontai said health care providers need to recognize the potential signs of nitrous oxide misuse.
“As a Family Nurse Practitioner, school nurse, and former mayor, I know we are standing at the base of a public health mountain with nitrous oxide misuse, which has tripled in New Jersey,” said school nurse Lisa Lontai. “Because this gas clears the system in minutes, it is completely invisible on standard drug tests. It is absolutely critical that primary care and emergency clinicians immediately consider nitrous oxide as a differential diagnosis whenever a patient presents with unexplained neurological issues like tingling, numbness, or balance problems. Catching this early and starting aggressive medical treatment is the only way to prevent permanent nerve damage, and we urgently need Congressman Kean’s retail ban passed to stop this crisis from accelerating.”
Erin Cohen, executive director of Prevention Services, said members of a youth coalition first brought Galaxy Gas to the organization’s attention two years ago after seeing it trending on TikTok.
“Two years ago, members of our youth coalition alerted us to Galaxy Gas after seeing it trending on TikTok,” said Executive Director of Prevention Services Erin Cohen. “Since then, we have been working to educate parents, school personnel, and the broader Hunterdon/Somerset community about the serious health risks involved. We thank Congressman Kean for his leadership on this issue and for honoring the Mannarino family’s courage in turning their loss into action. Legislation like this is exactly what’s needed to protect our community before more families experience this kind of tragedy.”
The MANNARINO Act would encourage states to restrict nitrous oxide sales to legitimate uses, including medicine, dentistry and commercial food production. It would also encourage states to ban scented and flavored nitrous oxide and close a loophole allowing the substance to be sold as a standalone “food propellant” to noncommercial users.
The legislation would also give the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary authority to reduce federal grant funding to states that do not adopt restrictions.
According to Kean’s office, nitrous oxide misuse can result in serious health consequences, including nerve damage, muscle spasms, numbness, paralysis and death.
Kean spoke about nitrous oxide misuse during a House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade subcommittee hearing last month and has also contacted corporations about constituent concerns regarding the availability of nitrous oxide products in stores.
