In a long expected move, the Home Office is preparing to ban the recreational use of nitrous oxide – or laughing gas – in the UK.
Also known as “nos” or simply “balloons”, usage of the canisters has been a common sight and sound at festivals and parties for years and has seen something of a resurgence in more recent ones, with one in 10 16-24 year olds reportedly using the drug in 2020.
Backed by Suella Braverman, the home secretary, the move is part of a wider effort to combat antisocial behaviour in the country.
Supplying the canisters for recreational reasons is already illegal, but they are still readily available online, due to their legitimate usages for whipping cream, freezing food and as a pain relief during child birth.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even referenced laughing gas this month whilst discussing the wider issue of antisocial behaviour in the UK, saying, “They spray graffiti on war memorials, discard needles and nitrous oxide canisters in children’s playgrounds, gang together and cause disorder and disruption.”
Inhaling laughing gas through balloons has been known to cause psychoactive effects, but doctors have warned it can increase spinal and nerve damage, including paralysis.
However, some campaign groups and charities have argues that criminalisation will not reduce usage and will leave a number of young people with criminal records.
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