Those who repeatedly abuse laughing gas could face fines or up to two years in prison, with the maximum prison sentence for trafficking the gas doubled to 14 years, Reuters reported, citing the new ban.
Laughing gas, which causes a feeling of euphoria, relaxation and detachment from reality, is increasingly popular, especially among young people, but the British government warns that inhaling the gas promotes disturbing behaviors and is dangerous to health, according to Reuters.
British government warns laughing gas inhalation is dangerous to health
Captured from Sky News clip
According to figures from the UK Department of Health , N2O is the third most commonly used drug among 16-24 year olds and heavy use can lead to anaemia and in more severe cases can cause nerve damage or paralysis.
In September, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said people were "fed up" with the use of laughing gas in public places, and found N2O cylinders scattered across the streets of the UK.
The N2O ban does not apply to legitimate uses including healthcare, dentistry and other industries. The UK government says no licence will be required, but users will need to prove they are “lawfully in possession” and do not intend to inhale the gas.
Under the ban, N2O will be regulated as a "Class C" drug and classified as a "least harmful" drug under UK law.
Source link
Comment (0)