Amazon is accused of knowingly selling nitrous oxide products designed for recreational inhalation, including one man who claims he got high and suffered serious neurological effects.
A complaint filed in Seattle federal court Tuesday, April 14, accuses Amazon and multiple manufacturers of selling nitrous oxide canisters under the guise of “culinary” use while allegedly knowing customers were using them to get high.
The lawsuit was brought by New York resident Felix Krouse, who says he suffered lasting health issues after using the products.
According to the complaint, inhaling nitrous oxide “produces a short but powerful euphoric high,” but can cause serious harm when used outside a medical setting. The lawsuit alleges companies ignored those risks and instead leaned into them.
“Defendants knew these risks, ignored them, and sold nitrous oxide canisters to the public in a format or volume that facilitated and encouraged consumers to ingest massive and dangerous doses,” the complaint states.
The products were marketed as being for whipped cream or culinary use, but the lawsuit flatly rejects that claim.
“To take advantage of a legal loophole, Defendants claimed their products were intended for culinary use. They were not,” the filing states.
The complaint goes further, alleging the products were intentionally designed and marketed for recreational use.
“Defendants intended their products to be inhaled by consumers for recreational purposes and marketed them accordingly,” the lawsuit states.
Krouse says he used the products for years and suffered serious medical issues, including vitamin B12 deficiency, tremors, memory loss, and problems with balance and walking.
The lawsuit also points to customer reviews on Amazon as evidence that the products were widely used to get high.
One review cited in the complaint reads: “Stuff gives me a rush of dopamine and euphoric relief as it kills my brain cells and massages the back of brain.”
Another referenced review describes using balloons to inhale the gas — a method with no culinary purpose.
“This stuff is really clean… if you are using it for balloons, you don’t need to buy the regulator,” the review states.
“Balloons are used to facilitate the inhalation of nitrous oxide and have no role in the culinary use of nitrous oxide,” the lawsuit states.
The complaint also alleges Amazon continued selling the products even after federal regulators raised alarms.
In March 2025, the FDA warned consumers “not to inhale nitrous oxide products from any size canisters, tanks, or chargers,” according to the filing. Despite that warning, the lawsuit claims Amazon and other companies continued selling the products without adding new safety warnings or restricting access.
“Amazon continued to promote and distribute these products” even after the advisory, the complaint states.
The lawsuit seeks damages for Krouse’s injuries and aims to hold Amazon and its partners accountable for what it describes as a business model built around a known misuse of the products.
Puget Press has reached out to Amazon for comment
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