Our local Litter Pickers continually find nitrous oxide capsules scattered around our street but a few weeks ago this haul was found by the Upland Way garages.
Larger containers are also regularly found littering Preston Park.
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is used by dentists as a sedative and anaesthetic. It is also a propellant in aerosol cans and is used in the catering industry as whipped cream chargers. But these canisters found in Upland Way were likely being used as potentially dangerous recreational drugs.
Recreational inhalation of nitrous oxide dates back to the 1790’s when the British Upper class held “laughing gas parties”.
It was considered a route to a “safe high”. Today many, mainly, young people are experimenting with laughing gas without realising its potential damage to their health.
It is described by Drug Wise as a depressant drug which slows down the body. When it is inhaled it can make people feel happy, relaxed and giggly, hence the name ‘laughing gas’. It can also lead to mild euphoria, feeling light-headed or dizzy and hallucinations.
According to the Office of National Statistics, in the last year 1.3% of adults aged 16 to 59 years and 3.9% of adults aged 16 to 24 years had used nitrous oxide, this is equivalent to around 444,000 and 230,000 individuals, respectively.
But there are concerns that many users of nitrous oxide are not aware of the dangers this gas could have to their health. Inhaling nitrous oxide can result in a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can result in a person falling unconscious and even dying through suffocation or heart problems. This risk is likely to be greater if the gas is consumed in an enclosed space or if a lot is used at the same time.
In England and Wales between 2001 and 2020, nitrous oxide was the third most mentioned volatile substance on death certificates (after butane and propane), with 45 deaths registered between 2010 and 2020.
More importantly, long term use can cause brain damage. Nitrous oxide can be addictive and is neurotoxic which means that habitual use can cause severe neurological damage. There have been examples of habitual users being partly or severely paralysed as a result of long-term inhalation.
Since the Psychoactive Substances Act came into effect on 26 May 2016 it has been illegal to supply or import nitrous oxide for human consumption. But it is still freely available on the internet for catering purposes.
So please stop using these canisters to not only protect your health but also to improve the environment by removing these canisters from our streets.
Stop Press
Just before publication the Government has announced that it plans to ban nitrous dioxide. There are two options being considered. One would make personal possession illegal without a “legitimate reason”. The other would require anyone who has a legitimate reason, such as a chef, would have to obtain a licence.
The punishment for being caught with or selling nitrous oxide is likely to be similar to sanctions for class C drugs — those in possession face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine and a maximum 14-year sentence for supplying or producing the substances.