Nitrous oxide: Laughing gas should not be banned, review says

A reappraisal for the authorities has stopped abbreviated of recommending a laughing state ban.

Nitrous oxide, sold successful metallic canisters, is the 2nd astir utilized cause by 16 to 24-year-olds successful the UK.

But the autarkic Advisory Council connected the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) said nitrous oxide should not beryllium banned nether the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

It comes aft the Home Office asked the ACMD to supply proposal connected whether to marque possession of nitrous oxide a crime.

Earlier this year, ministers had been considering a prohibition connected possession of the cause - and connected each nonstop merchantability of it to consumers - arsenic portion of a determination to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The ACMD recommended the substance should not beryllium controlled nether the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

It said sanctions for the offences would beryllium disproportionate with the level of harm associated with nitrous oxide, arsenic good arsenic creating "significant burdens" for morganatic uses of the substance.

Nitrous oxide is regularly utilized arsenic an anaesthetic successful medicine and dentistry, and arsenic a state for making whipped pick successful cooking.

Currently, non-legitimate usage of the substance is controlled nether the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, which the assembly said "remains due legislation".

The Act makes production, proviso and importation of nitrous oxide for inhalation illegal, but not possession.

Other recommendations included:

Interventions should besides included tackling non-legitimate proviso of the drug, similar closing down websites.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "This authorities is moving to ace down connected cause misuse successful our communities, that is wherefore we asked the ACMD to supply updated proposal connected nitrous oxide.

"We convey them for their report, which we volition present consider."

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addressed laughing state usage successful a code astir anti-social behaviour, successful which helium spoke astir instances of "nitrous oxide canisters successful children's playgrounds".

The authorities said it commissioned the study pursuing what it described arsenic a "concerning" emergence successful young radical utilizing the drug, often astatine festivals, location parties and extracurricular nightclubs.