International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is observed annual in Ireland on 31 August to remember those who have died from overdoses without stigma, acknowledge the grief of families and raise awareness about prevention. In this article, Áine Dalton, undergraduate student in the Department of Life Sciences and Patricia Ging MPSI, lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Atlantic Technological University Sligo, describe the trends in nitrous oxide use in Ireland, and considerations on the impact of nitrous oxide on the environment.