Users of laughing gas as a drug could in future receive an unlimited fine, a visible community punishment or a warning on their criminal record. Repeat offenders face up to two years in prison. The maximum penalty for manufacturers and resellers is 14 years in prison. When you inhale the colorless and odorless laughing gas, for example directly from capsules or balloons, you experience a brief feeling of happiness and euphoria – hence the name.
It is used in medicine as an anesthetic and analgesic, including during childbirth and at the dentist. If there is a sufficient supply of oxygen, laughing gas is considered harmless and has no major side effects. But it is also used in kitchens, for example, to froth whipped cream in special dispensers (cream siphon). There are exceptions to this in Britain.
picturedesk.com/PA/Alex Hannam Nitrous oxide cartridges can be found in all supermarkets
When announcing the ban a few weeks ago, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was making good on his promise to end “anti-social behavior” as quickly as possible. More and more incidents involving laughing gas are being reported to the police, such as “intimidating gatherings” and discarded canisters on the streets.
Increased consumption in Europe
According to the latest European drug report, the rise in recreational use of nitrous oxide in some parts of Europe is “causing health concerns”, especially among young people. According to experts, the possible risks of nitrous oxide include poisoning, burns and lung damage and, in some cases, with prolonged use, nerve damage and even paralysis. According to experts, unlike other drugs, laughing gas leaves no measurable traces.
Nitrous oxide is now easily and cheaply available, the drug report continues, even in larger quantities. Cylinders and larger containers of nitrous oxide are particularly dangerous because the higher pressure can cause lung damage, especially when consumed directly from the container. The report also recommends greater monitoring and research in this area, taking into account the possible damage to health.
Portal/Olivia Harris Abuse of laughing gas has increased in recent years
Bans are also viewed critically
Britain is not the first country in Europe to take a tougher stance. The Netherlands has already banned possession and sale, with some exceptions, and Denmark has also issued stricter regulations. According to the EU drug report, the use of laughing gas as a drug has recently increased significantly in these countries, as well as in Ireland, France, Lithuania and Portugal. In Germany there are also voices calling for stricter rules.
But there are also critical voices about the ban in Britain, as the BBC reports. According to the British Advisory Committee on Drug Abuse, this is disproportionate to the actual harm and risks to health and can lead to undesirable consequences, such as users not seeking medical help. The British government justified its decision by saying that many factors had to be taken into account.
Waste creates additional problems
Apparently, nitrous oxide also causes uneasiness about the crap left behind. According to the British news agency PA, thousands of cartridges had to be thrown away at Notting Hill Carnival, a huge street party in London. “Brits are fed up with thugs who take drugs in public spaces and leave a shameful mess for others to clean up,” Home Secretary Suella Braverman said, according to PA. There are similar complaints from other countries with high consumption.
In 2021, there were also many problems at French waste incineration plants due to incorrect disposal of nitrous oxide containers. The newspaper “Le Parisien” reported that explosions occurred repeatedly in incinerators when containers that had not been completely emptied were carelessly disposed of with household waste. The furnaces would have to be shut down for repairs, several waste incineration plant operators said.
“It freezes your brain.”
According to the BBC, health damage caused by laughing gas abuse is also increasing in Britain. It is said that there have been several deaths in car accidents related to nitrous oxide abuse. Birmingham currently has the highest rate of hospital admissions following excessive nitrous oxide consumption. A BBC documentary recently showed that larger containers of nitrous oxide from manufacturer Smartwhip intended for use in catering are now available on the high street.
In the documentary, a user talks about the effects. “It freezes the brain,” says Ali, who had to go through withdrawal after using nitrous oxide for a year. He was often gone for an hour or two, was constantly tired, and could not eat or bathe. It’s just not worth five seconds. One user said laughing gas is one of the most addictive “bad things.” She consumed one balloon after another.
Nitrous oxide is particularly harmful to the climate
As early as the 19th century, laughing gas was used not only for its analgesic effect in medicine, but also for pleasure, for example, at fairs and “laughing gas parties”. Since then, there have been surges in usage. However, medical use has partially decreased or changed, including in the psychiatric field. Nitrous oxide itself is not flammable, but it can promote combustion and is therefore also used to tune cars.
Nitrous oxide is also released in conventional and intensive agriculture, particularly through nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Wastewater treatment plants are also a source of nitrous oxide, which, being a particularly effective greenhouse gas, directly damages the ozone layer in the stratosphere and contributes around ten percent to global warming. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the third most important long-lived greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, and is about 300 times more harmful than CO2.