Young brits dice with death inhaling 'hippy crack' balloons at Greek party resort of Kavos o

YOUNG British tourists are dicing with death by inhaling potentially lethal 'hippy crack' while on holiday in the party resort of Kavos.

Scores of holiday makers in their late teens and early 20s were seen inhaling the drug from balloons in bars and on the streets of the Corfu resort popular with school leavers and University students.

LITTER: 'Hippy crack' canisters discarded on Kavos Beach (Jon Austin)

Hippy crack is nitrous oxide, which is often bought legitimately as canisters for making whipped cream, which are discharged into balloons and inhaled.

It gives users a brief head rush and can cause fits of laughter, but wears of quickly with users often repeating the dose several times through the night.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used as an anaesthetic for medical purposes.

PARTY: Users enjoy inhaling the balloons inside two different clubs (Jon Austin)

However, if someone takes too much nitrous oxide they risk falling unconscious or suffocating from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Some people have reportedly died as a result.

There were reportedly seven deaths from its use in the UK in 2017.

RISK: balloons and canisters discarded in a club at the end of the night (Jon Austin)

Heavy regular use of nitrous oxide can lead to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and a form of anaemia where people stop forming white blood cells properly.

Severe B12 deficiency can lead to serious nerve damage, causing tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes.

Mixing it with alcohol is also a risk and some users have become dependant.

Young Brits in Kavos were seemingly oblivious to or not phased by this.

One man in his early 20s was seen repeatedly inhaling from a balloon on his balcony during the day.

Joe, 21, from London said: "Try some you've got to get on it man. Everyone does it here and I ain't seen any problems apart from when people have too much booze."

BRAZEN: Users openly inhaling balloons on the street (Jon Austin)

It is illegal to inhale the substance or sell it for recreational use in the UK and Greece.

Bar owners in Kavos appeared to take no action against people using it on their premises and despite regular police patrols people appeared to have no qualms about doing it openly on the streets.