A coroner is calling for better warnings on helium canisters ,after a young mother died inhaling the gas

The 20-year-old Bay of Plenty woman died in 2022 after inhaling from the canister, which she'd bought from a local store to inflate balloons for her daughter's first birthday party.

Inhaling helium displaces oxygen in the lungs and causes hypoxia, which can cause death.

The coroner's report found the potential threats of helium are heightened when inhaled directly from the canister, due to the pressurised gas.

The report says the warning should be prominent and obvious to purchasers, many of whom are unaware of the dangers.