The British government has announced that it intends to ban nitrogen oxide, known as "laughing gas", which is increasingly popular in the country.
"Anyone who has had the chance to walk in the parks of our big cities has seen these little silver boxes," Housing and Communities Minister Michael Gove told Sky News. He added that users "not only vandalize public places, but also take a substance that can have a psychological and neurological effect and contribute to antisocial behavior." "That's why we need to crack down on new manifestations of drug use, and these laughing gas canisters are a growing pest," Gove said. The government seeks to make the sale of these packages permitted only for "appropriate purposes". Nitrogen oxide is used primarily by the medical community as an anesthetic, also in kitchen hoods.
And in November 2022, the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Addiction warned of an “alarming” increase in the recreational use of nitrogen oxide in certain regions of Europe.
This growing popularity, especially among young people, is mainly due to the easy availability and low price of this material.
This gas is known for its short-term psychoactive effects, three to four minutes after inhalation.
The Netherlands has banned the possession and sale of nitrogen oxide since the first of January
Okaz (London)
