The UK government has announced that nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas”, a substance increasingly sought after by young people, will soon be banned.

“Everyone who had the opportunity to walk in the parks of our big cities saw these small silver containers,” he said. Users “not only rob public places, but also take drugs that can have psychological and neurological effects and promote antisocial behavior,” Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove added.

“That’s why we need to curb the use of new drugs, and these laughing gas canisters are becoming an increasingly dangerous scourge,” he continued. The government wants the sale of these containers to be “limited to appropriate purposes”.

Bell of the authorities

Nitrous oxide is used in medicine as an anesthetic and also in kitchen sinks. A Sky News investigation showed an increase in hospital admissions due to drug use at parties.

In 2021, the Home Office asked the independent Advisory Board on Drug Abuse (ACMD) for advice on whether possession of nitrous oxide should be considered a crime.

The ACMD concluded that penalties for offenses under the Act would be disproportionate to the level of harm associated with the substance, and that such controls could create a “significant burden” on the lawful use of the substance.

The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Toxic Substances raised the alarm in November after an “alarming” rise in recreational use of nitrous oxide in parts of Europe. Its growing demand, especially among young people, is due to its availability and low price.

The gas is estimated to be in demand because of its short-term psychoactive effect—lasting three to four minutes—when inhaled.

Source: Sky News