Nitrous Oxide cannisters to be banned?
Discussion
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65079772
My experience:-
Couple of years back, I was travelling between Lancashire and Yorkshire on a narrow moorland road and there was a very expensive customised brand new Range Rover in front of me, worth well in excess of 100k.
It was weaving all over the road, as if the driver had drunk two bottles of whisky, and these small cannisters were being thrown out of the drivers window onto the road about one every thirty seconds. There must have been well over twenty thrown out.
I kept my distance as I didn't want to get too close, until he eventually turned of down a side road, how he didn't hit a car coming the other way I'll never know.
My experience:-
Couple of years back, I was travelling between Lancashire and Yorkshire on a narrow moorland road and there was a very expensive customised brand new Range Rover in front of me, worth well in excess of 100k.
It was weaving all over the road, as if the driver had drunk two bottles of whisky, and these small cannisters were being thrown out of the drivers window onto the road about one every thirty seconds. There must have been well over twenty thrown out.
I kept my distance as I didn't want to get too close, until he eventually turned of down a side road, how he didn't hit a car coming the other way I'll never know.
Sold a car to a couple today, their current car was recently written off outside their house by someone who was high on this stuff, he just drove straight into their car, a neighbour caught him chucking the canisters in a hedge, the driver claims he has no recollection at all of any of it.
The independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published an extensive review and categorically advised against this, but coke-head Gove has gone ahead anyway 
ACMD reasoning said:
1) the level of health and social harms associated with nitrous were not comparable to substances currently controlled under the 1971 [Misuse of Drugs Act] legislation;
2) it would be disproportionate to apply the sanctions available under the MDA 1971 considering the level of harm, and to control nitrous in this way could have its own unintended consequences;
3) it could impact on legitimate uses of nitrous oxide, notably in its use as a food additive and in medicine.
2) it would be disproportionate to apply the sanctions available under the MDA 1971 considering the level of harm, and to control nitrous in this way could have its own unintended consequences;
3) it could impact on legitimate uses of nitrous oxide, notably in its use as a food additive and in medicine.
The problem with this compared to existing main impairing substances is that there is no real test for it, it wears off so quickly. Drivers presently need caught in tha act.
It was either ban this or ban balloons.
It was either ban this or ban balloons.
Edited by Rough101 on Sunday 26th March 21:31
Edited by Rough101 on Sunday 26th March 21:31
At last, about 5 years too late. These things are a bloody litter menace too. I can't count on all my fingers the number of times I've seen boxes of the things dumped after a session.
I cycle around 10k a year and you see them in the gutters of the roads absolutely everywhere. If I had a penny for every one I'd seen tossed I'd have a fair few quid in the daughters bank account! I try and pick them up if I see them walking the dog to toss in my scrap metal bin.
I've never seen someone driving using them, but anything is game for Yooves these days.
I cycle around 10k a year and you see them in the gutters of the roads absolutely everywhere. If I had a penny for every one I'd seen tossed I'd have a fair few quid in the daughters bank account! I try and pick them up if I see them walking the dog to toss in my scrap metal bin.
I've never seen someone driving using them, but anything is game for Yooves these days.
deggles said:
The independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published an extensive review and categorically advised against this, but coke-head Gove has gone ahead anyway
Young people and migrants are the natural enemy of the Tory voting base. It's a squirrel.ACMD reasoning said:
1) the level of health and social harms associated with nitrous were not comparable to substances currently controlled under the 1971 [Misuse of Drugs Act] legislation;
2) it would be disproportionate to apply the sanctions available under the MDA 1971 considering the level of harm, and to control nitrous in this way could have its own unintended consequences;
3) it could impact on legitimate uses of nitrous oxide, notably in its use as a food additive and in medicine.
2) it would be disproportionate to apply the sanctions available under the MDA 1971 considering the level of harm, and to control nitrous in this way could have its own unintended consequences;
3) it could impact on legitimate uses of nitrous oxide, notably in its use as a food additive and in medicine.
A friend who commutes by bike in London said they see somebody driving inhaling balloons *while driving* most weeks.
Anybody who has inhaled it will tell you it's worse than an equivalent 5 pints of lager, although thankfully only lasts a minute.
Anybody who has inhaled it will tell you it's worse than an equivalent 5 pints of lager, although thankfully only lasts a minute.
Donbot said:
Littering is already illegal. So is driving drunk or on drugs.
It's another pointless name to add to the war on drugs.
The problem is that by the time a police officer stops the person there's no evidence they were under the influence, even if a test could be developed for it.It's another pointless name to add to the war on drugs.
Gareth79 said:
A friend who commutes by bike in London said they see somebody driving inhaling balloons *while driving* most weeks.
Balloons? They're filled with helium; this story relates to Nitrous Oxide surely? I don't see the connection? Helium doesn't cause intoxication like Nitrous, only silly voices as far as I understand.Gareth79 said:
The problem is that by the time a police officer stops the person there's no evidence they were under the influence, even if a test could be developed for it.
There has been a test for years - it's related to asthma and checks whether airways are dilated or not. Thing is it's not the kind of test authorities want as it doesn't measure NO, just its effect. and as everyone's different.... The other thing is NO is used as a supplement by sportspeople as it dilates blood vessels. Also Itself or a precursor is used in viagra, cialis etc. Christ knows what else. I think if you smoke you have raised levels.littleredrooster said:
Gareth79 said:
A friend who commutes by bike in London said they see somebody driving inhaling balloons *while driving* most weeks.
Balloons? They're filled with helium; this story relates to Nitrous Oxide surely? I don't see the connection? Helium doesn't cause intoxication like Nitrous, only silly voices as far as I understand.popeyewhite said:
Gareth79 said:
The problem is that by the time a police officer stops the person there's no evidence they were under the influence, even if a test could be developed for it.
There has been a test for years - it's related to asthma and checks whether airways are dilated or not. Thing is it's not the kind of test authorities want as it doesn't measure NO, just its effect. and as everyone's different.... The other thing is NO is used as a supplement by sportspeople as it dilates blood vessels. Also Itself or a precursor is used in viagra, cialis etc. Christ knows what else. I think if you smoke you have raised levels.IF it's made illegal to possess then a test could make sense, but generally somebody huffing in the car will have a cannister with them, so doing them for possession could be enough.
Edited by Gareth79 on Sunday 26th March 22:34
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