Freshers warned to avoid laughing gas as drug kills 42 people in Britain

Freshers are being warned to avoid laughing gas – as new figures reveal the drug has killed 42 people in Britain.

Thousands heading to uni will be offered nitrous oxide, typically inhaled from ­balloons at just 50p a hit.

But data shows 42 cases where the drug has been named on a death certificate between 2010 and 2019.

Victims include Essex student Rory Wai, 18, one of eight victims in 2019.

At the time, his devastated mum Sally said: “We hope this might act as a deterrent to young people.”

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Data shows 42 cases where the drug has been named on a death certificate (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

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Last year more than half of 16 to 24-year-olds admitted trying laughing gas.

Nitrous oxide has medical and commercial uses, such as making whipped cream, but is illegal when sold as a psychoactive drug.