Laughing gas is also used as an intoxicant, especially in the youth scene. Denmark wants to put a stop to that. Stricter legal regulations will come into force in the country on Saturday.
The Danish government wants to intensify the fight against the use of laughing gas as a drug. Stricter requirements will come into force on Saturday.
From July it will be banned in Denmark to carry nitrous oxide in public places unless it is used commercially. This affects schools and educational institutions, streets, parks and shopping centers, but also pubs, discotheques and festivals. Violations can result in high fines of up to 670 euros.
The sale of laughing gas to minors is generally prohibited from the weekend. It is also forbidden to sell the gas “for the purpose of intoxication”.
As the dpa news agency reports, laughing gas has been used more and more frequently by adolescents and young adults in Denmark as an intoxicant for several years. According to the Danish safety authority, it wants to counteract this development with the tightened regulations.
Regular use can cause long-term damage
Nitrous oxide is actually called nitrous oxide and is used in various areas. In medicine it is contained in anesthetics, but it is also used in cream chargers used in cream dispensers. But nitrous oxide can also be used in drive technology for passenger cars.
If the gas is consumed as an intoxicant, it can trigger weak hallucinations, feelings of warmth and happiness, according to drugcom.de, a project of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA).
At the same time, the authority warns of possible health damage from taking it, such as numbness and dizziness. From a proportion of 90 percent nitrous oxide in the breathing air, there is a risk of unconsciousness and damage to the brain. According to the BZgA, if nitrous oxide is ingested frequently, internal organs and the nervous system can be damaged.
