As Erie News Now first reported, the coroner in Center County, Pa, has ruled on what caused the death of a Cathedral Prep student, who was visiting State College last month.

John "Jack" Schoenig, 17, died of chemical asphyxia, from inhaling Nitrous oxide, his death was ruled accidental.

The coroner's investigation found no alcohol in Schoenig's system.

His death happened in an off-campus apartment, on October 19th.

Investigators in State College say Nitrous oxide, sometimes called "laughing gas," was delivered through a metal canister known as a "whippet."

According to Dr. Fred Mirarchi, Director of UPMC Hamot's Emergency Department, Nitrous oxide is often used in medicine, especially in operating rooms, during procedures to help patients relax.

It's often used in dental offices as well.

Dr. Mirarchi says it gives the patient a euphoric effect, which takes the edge off for a medical procedure.

It is a high, which can cause hallucinations, so people also use it recreationally too.

Inhaling Nitrous oxide is easy to come by, because it's commercially available, the tiny aluminum containers are in things like in whip cream canisters.

In the death of Schoenig, the coroner says the teen was deprived of oxygen, because the Nitrous oxide whippets stopped his heart.

As Dr. Fred Mirarchi, Director of UPMC Hamot's Emergency Department explains, Nitrous oxide is not typically deadly, but like any drug used outside of its intended purpose, it is dangerous, “It can definitely cause issues especially in high amounts and concentrations, not to mention it can be a gateway to other things, so anything that kids can get their hands in today, they tend to get their hands in today and try, and unfortunately there's going to be unintended consequences of trying.”

Following Schoenig's death, many area schools used the tragedy to warn students of the dangers of whippets and huffing.

Doctors say parents can use this incident to do the same.