No Helium is not a drug but sure can kill, even by inhaling a party baloon! People are simply not aware that an "inocent" gas like Helium can be very dangerous and even fatal.

• A little-known aspect of inhaling helium is how quickly you may lose consciousness due to asphyxia (oxygen deprivation). During the exchange of gases in the normal breathing process, the blood stream absorbs oxygen from air in the lungs, while carbon dioxide passes from the blood to the air. When you hold your breath, the exchange of gases slows, as "stale" air in the lungs is no longer replaced by "fresh" air.

• This process does not stop instantly, however. Some time will pass before you start to experience serious physical distress. For example, you would likely have time to pick up and put down an object, walk across a room, or find a chair and sit down before feeling compelled to breathe again.

• However, when the lungs are filled with helium, a different process takes over. Oxygen is actually removed from the blood stream during the exchange of gases. Depending on how completely oxygen is replaced by helium, you may lose consciousness quickly and without warning—you may literally pass out while still standing. The usual result is an uncontrolled fall that can cause serious injury, even if normal breathing resumes before brain damage occurs due to lack of oxygen.

Take care, and enjoy Lionel Richie singing "Hello" at the german TV Show "Wetten dass" while inhaling helium. He gets a quite funny voice through it.

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