Nangs: The Addiction Nobody Talks About with Sam BrammanNangs: The Addiction Nobody Talks About with Sam Bramman
Sober Awkward
The Dangers of Nitrous Oxide
37:27•14 Jun 2026
Nangs, Psychosis and a 350km Run: Sam Bramman’s Wake‑Up Call
Episode Overview
- Nangs (nitrous oxide) can move from party fad to daily, mentally addictive habit in a very short time.
- Legal loopholes and rapid delivery services make nitrous oxide dangerously easy to access, especially for young people.
- Drug-induced psychosis can arise even without a long history of mental illness and may lead to hospitalisation and extended recovery.
- Recovery often begins with tiny choices—like a short walk or a one‑kilometre run—that slowly rebuild confidence and purpose.
- Open, non‑judgemental conversations between parents and children are crucial for addressing emerging substance issues.
“In addiction and recovery, you're trapped in a room that's dark, and the walls are closing in every day... You've got to punch a hole in the wall. Let light. Let air in.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Sober Awkward takes a slight detour from booze this week, as Victoria Vanstone chats with young campaigner Sam Bramman about a drug many people brush off as harmless fun: nangs. Nitrous oxide, sold as small steel bulbs or giant canisters, might look like a bit of a laugh at a house party, but Sam’s story shows how quickly things can go very wrong.
He describes his first hit at 19 as a “very fleeting high that was really intense,” bringing echoes, dissociation and a brief escape from reality. Within weeks, that novelty turned into daily use: “Travelling to different smoke shops throughout the day… using it in the car, using it before work.” Sam explains how legal loopholes and rapid delivery services made nangs frighteningly easy to get, with companies offering loyalty schemes and 20‑minute drop-offs.
What many see as a one‑minute buzz left him in a drug‑induced psychosis, stranded on a highway, and eventually sectioned in a psych ward for two months. The conversation is raw, honest and surprisingly funny in places, as Vic compares nangs to her own wild experiments with amyl nitrate and heavy drinking.
Together they talk about mental versus physical addiction, the pressure on young people to fit in, and how hard it can be for parents to keep up with a constantly changing drug scene. Sam also shares his slow climb back: gaining 30 kilos while bedridden, saying yes to short walks, then a single kilometre on the treadmill, and finally planning a 350‑kilometre run from Sydney to Canberra to raise awareness about nitrous oxide harms. His message to his 19‑year‑old self?
Think for yourself, know what you’re putting in your body, and aim for a life with purpose. If you’ve ever written off a “little party drug” as harmless, or you’re a parent trying to keep your kids safe, this conversation might make you pause and ask: what risks are hiding in plain sight?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.