This year’s Miss Universe Vietnam will not be stripped of her crown despite admitting to using hippy crack also known as laughing gas when she was in high school.
The beauty pageant winner, Bui Quynh Hoa, 25, will not lose the title after a clip showing her using nitrous oxide with a group of friends in 2015 emerged on social media platforms.
Contest organisers confirmed that Hoa, who comes from the city of Hanoi, Vietnam, once used nitrous oxide balloons, but added that it was “almost a decade ago”.
They emphasised that the gorgeous model had tried the balloons out of curiosity as a high school student when she knew nothing about them, after which she never touched them again.
Nitrous oxide also known as laughing gas, or hippy crack, is often used recreationally, as inhalation can induce euphoria, relaxation, and a hallucinogenic state.
Long-term or habitual use can lead to severe neurological damage, reports claimed.
The organisers said in a statement: “Hoa has learnt a lot from the incident and now regrets letting what she did in the past affect her current life.
“We hope young people can learn from Hoa’s case.”
They added that the Miss Universe organisation had verified that Hoa is still the winner of the pageant.
The 25-year-old businesswoman won the title of the 2022 Supermodel International contest before being titled Miss Universe Vietnam on 29th September this year.
She will represent the country at this year’s Miss Universe contest in El Salvador between 3rd and 18th November, and is scheduled to leave for the event on Thursday, 2nd November.
