There's a Helium Shortage (Really) and It Could Deflate Your Party Plans

A worldwide shortage of helium has trickled all the way down to the balloons flying at backyard parties.

Stores across the country are reporting problems keeping balloons afloat because they can't get enough helium.

"For about a week, we had to limit the number of balloons people could have," said Liyana Asmar, an employee at on Pearl Road in Strongsville. 

Usually, the store blows through two tanks of helium a week. Now its supplier is limiting the store to one tank a month.

The gas is getting more expensive, too.

"We've had to increase the price of our balloons three times," Asmar said.

was recently down to one.

"We didn't take any balloon orders because we weren't sure if we could get any more," said Susan Roll, freight manager.

But the store just got a new delivery this week. 

"We have plenty now," Roll said.

Helium has more serious uses, and those have come first in distributing the gas. At hospitals, is is used, in liquid form, to cool MRI equipment, and, as a gas, to treat respiratory, burn, cancer and cardiac patients.

Experts blame the shortage on an increase in demand for helium coupled with a decision by the United States in 1996 to sell off its huge reserve of helium at low prices.