The Government will ban nitrous oxide – ‘laughing gas’ – by making it a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This means it will be unlawful to possess and supply.
Several residents have written to me over the past three years with concerns over how their local communities have been blighted by anti-social behaviour and mass littering of empty gas cannisters.
The Government’s action is a positive step forward to help make Orpington safer. I look forward to working with local groups, the police, and Bromley Council as this change is introduced.
This change follows recreational use harming communities through drug driving incidents, social harms, and serious neurological damage to users. Between 2020-21, nitrous oxide was the third most commonly-used drug among 16 to 59 year olds in England and Wales.
A consultation has now been launched on ensuring that the legitimate and beneficial uses for nitrous oxide in medical and industrial settings are not affected by controls on recreational drug use.