Britain bans recreational use of laughing gas

Under the ban, N2O will be regulated as a "Class C" drug and classified as a "least harmful" drug under UK law.

People who repeatedly abuse laughing gas can be fined or imprisoned for two years. Meanwhile, those found producing, supplying or selling the gas face lengthy prison sentences. Notably, the maximum prison sentence for illegally producing or trading laughing gas has doubled to 14 years.

The ban exempts legitimate uses in healthcare, dentistry and other industries. The government said no license would be required in such cases, but users would need to prove they legally possessed the gas and did not intend to inhale it.

Laughing gas, which causes feelings 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 behavior and poses health risks, according to Reuters .

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.

Police Minister Chris Philp said the use of the gas in public spaces had long contributed to anti-social behaviour and had a negative impact on communities and this was unacceptable.

In September, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said people were "fed up" with the use of laughing gas in public places, finding large quantities of N2O cylinders scattered across the streets of the UK.

Notably, in addition to the health consequences, experts also warn that laughing gas also has impacts on the climate and emphasize - this is no joke. N2O gas has the ability to warm nearly 300 times more than CO2 (carbon dioxide). Moreover, this gas remains in the atmosphere for an average of 114 years, where it can convert into nitrous oxide, which depletes the stratospheric ozone layer and exposes the Earth to more solar radiation, thereby damaging crops and human health.

Minh Hoa (reported by Lao Dong and Thanh Nien)

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