The British Prime Minister announced this Monday morning: “We are going to ban nitrogen oxide.” Actually, since 1971 its recreational use was already prohibited in the United Kingdom, but now the possession of what is known as ‘laughing gas’, very present in its use as a drug, on public roads, among young people, is illegal. Rishi Sunak has assured that it is something urgent because “we have all walked among places full of little boats, for this reason we are going to expand the power of the police.”

because this measure intends to implement more anti-drug controls all over the country. Until now, this gas was easily acquired in unauthorized places for the modest price of 30 pounds for each boat. Already in the back room, they included the balloons to inhale and so on until they became the second most used drug by British youth between 16 and 24 years old.

Doctors warn of the high risk of poisoning and even greater consequences, such as those suffered by Kerry, who has been paralyzed and now needs a wheelchair. Although she believes that prohibition is not the way: “If you make something illegal or you prohibit it, they will want to do it more and they will not want to listen.”

A previous report from the Independent Advisory Council on the Abuse of Drugs already concluded that the measure would be disproportionate and would also harm those who use nitrogen oxide for medical or even culinary purposes. Something that this measure contemplates with surveillance for restaurants and catering.

But the Sunak government wants a strong hand and it is one of its star measures in the plan that they have branded as ‘Antisocial Behavior’, endowed with 180 million euros.