Recreational nitrous oxide (NO or whippets) use is a significant health and wellness concern in many areas of Humboldt County. In the 2021, “Your Thoughts on Substance Use in Humboldt County” survey, young people and community members highlighted that nitrous oxide misuse and litter should be a priority area for Public Health’s substance use prevention work.
NITROUS OXIDE (NO) RETAIL LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS:
HUMBOLDT BAY REGION, CITY OF ARCATA AND CITY OF
EUREKA
In January 2024, the Board of Supervisors
directed the DHHS-Public Health Branch to
address retail sales of recreational nitrous
oxide through education and policy
approaches. In June 2024, Public Health’s
Substance Use Prevention program was
awarded funding from the Department of
Health Care Services Substance Use Block
Grant Primary Prevention Services grant to
work on recreational nitrous oxide
education and prevention activities
throughout Humboldt County from 2024
through 2028.
In Humboldt County, it is possible for
community members to purchase
recreational nitrous oxide products in a
residential neighborhood. This mini
watermelon nitrous oxide canister was
found in a local neighborhood.
DHHS-Public Health’s Substance Use Prevention team conducted a retail landscape analysis from October 2024 through April 2025 to gain an understanding of where recreational nitrous oxide is being sold in the county.
The work was focused primarily on tobacco and vaping retail outlets, including smoke shops, and was expanded as needed to independent shops (aka fringe stores) that could also be selling nitrous oxide products. DHHS-Public Health completed 58 visits to retail outlets throughout the Humboldt Bay Region, including the City of Eureka and City of Arcata.
More information about the landscape analysis in other regions of Humboldt County can be found in the “Unincorporated Humboldt County and City of Trinidad” and “Humboldt County Eel River Valley” Nitrous Oxide (NO) Retail Landscape Analysis reports.
Retail outlets in both jurisdictions had creative and easily visible ways of displaying the nitrous oxide products, including glass cases on the counter and product packaging attached to the wall behind the cash register. Products observed included cases of “Whip-it” canisters, other canisters, crackers, NO tanks and boxed kits of canisters and crackers. Public Health staff encountered “Whip-It,” “Cream Charger” and “Master Whip” brand NO products. Due to safety concerns, the team did not disclose the observations to the outlets in either jurisdiction, with the exception of one retailer in Arcata who openly expressed frustration about recreational nitrous oxide product sales near their store. Given additional safety considerations in Eureka, the team conducted those observations with support from the Eureka Police Department.
A wide variety of NO products and paraphernalia located in plain sight were found at 10 smoke shops in Eureka and Arcata, two independent retail outlets in Arcata and one market in the Eureka area. The independent outlets in Arcata include a glass blowing retailer located within easy walking distance to the Arcata Plaza and a sex shop located in close proximity to Cal Poly Humboldt and campus apartments. Of note, there are three retail outlets within walking distance of the Arcata Plaza. In Eureka, a corner market in a mostly residential neighborhood had nitrous oxide products behind the counter and visible to patrons in a back room.
For more information about the Substance Use Prevention program, call Public Health’s Healthy Communities Division at 707-268-2132 or visit humboldtgov.org/SUP.
LOCATED IN PLAIN SIGHT NITROUS OXIDE OBSERVATIONS
21.4 0/o 13 out of 58 retail outlets had
recreational nitrous oxide
products in plain sight.
78.60/o
84.6% of the stores with NO
products had crackers, canisters
and tanks.
store/Convience store
Pharmacy
Independent
Liquor
smokes hops
Market/Supermarket
Gas stations
• Observed NO Products
• No NO Observed
0 5 10 15
7.6% Of the
stores with NO
only had
crackers and
canisters.
Independent retail outlets include glass blowers, sex shops, private clubs and a variety of non-traditional tobacco retailers. 20