2023-12-15 16:03:53
The government approved on Friday a royal decree which prohibits the sale, importation, possession, transport and purchase of nitrous oxide, physically or online unless it is intended for medical, technical purposes or as a food additive.
© BELGIUM
The text is supported by several ministers including the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden, and her colleague from Mobility, Georges Gilkinet, as well as by the Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.
This substance, better known as laughing gas, has been in the crosshairs of the authorities for several years because its use as a drug has seen significant growth among young people. It has a very rapid effect following inhalation which, in traffic, can be compared to that of alcohol on a driver. The effect is short-lived but addiction occurs more quickly so that the user will tend to increase the dose and put their health at risk.
“Health risk”
“The use of nitrous oxide poses a health risk to the user. We have already seen cases of pneumothorax and frozen lungs. It also causes concentration problems, which makes its use dangerous when driving,” explained the Minister of the Interior, Friday noon, during a press conference in a police office in Wavre- Sainte-Catherine (province of Antwerp).
“Driving under the influence”
The Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet, in a press release, echoed the same sentiment. “Driving under the influence is one of the three biggest killers on the road, along with distracted driving and speeding. The decision to ban the sale of laughing gas is therefore an important step forward not only for public health but also for road safety. Driving under the influence of this dangerous product indeed constitutes an unacceptable risk for oneself and for other road users,” he declared.
Some exceptions
The legal use of nitrous oxide remains authorized, particularly in the medical and food sectors. It is up to the police or prosecutors to determine whether the possession or transport of the product is “abusive” or not, for his part indicated the Minister of Justice Paul Van Tigchelt. “We are not targeting people who want to make a good cream cake, nor cycle tourists who carry small cartridges to inflate their bike tires. What we are targeting are young people caught at two in the morning in nightlife venues with large amounts of nitrous oxide. These can hardly claim that they wanted to make a cake,” he pointed out.
Problematic waste
Many cities and towns have adopted regulations to prohibit the use of this gas which creates nuisance, not only in terms of behavior but also in terms of waste, the capsules being often thrown in the street. Even putting them in a trash can is problematic since it is recommended to treat them separately due to the risk of explosion.
The royal decree must prevent legislation from fragmenting at the local level. In 2021, at the initiative of the MR group, the Chamber had already approved a bill prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide to minors.
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