Sale And Possession Of Laughing Gas To Be Banned In The UK
26 Jan 2023
A ban on the sale and possession of laughing gas is set to go ahead in the UK as Ministers try to tackle antisocial behaviour.
People found with nitrous oxide gas in public will be prosecuted under the planned update on drug misuse laws.
Exemptions would however be allowed for those with “legitimate reasons”, such as chefs using it for whipped cream or for pain relief in hospitals.
Nitrous oxide is one of the most commonly used drugs among 16-24-year-olds in England, the government says.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Anti-social behaviour causes misery in communities and we are determined to crack down on this scourge to protect our streets,”
“We have been clear we want to see common sense policing to keep our communities safe,”
“That is why we are actively considering a ban on the sale and use of this harmful drug and will ask the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to hasten their delivery of the report we commissioned, which we will carefully consider in reaching any decision.”