This is a new drug that seduces more and more teenagers. Nitrous oxide, nicknamed ” laughing gas “, has seen its consumption to skyrocket. In some cities, the metallic cartridges containing the gas are found by the dozens, or even hundreds, in car parks or in the parks. “We picked up up to 600 per day,” confirms Sévrine Maroun, deputy mayor of Aulnay-sous-Bois, responsible for the safety, attached by The Point.

initially, the elect as those of this commune of the Seine-Saint-Denis did not understand where were all of these gas cartridges. “The associations we have called upon to explain to us that young people were using this gas as a kind of drug,” said the deputy d’aulnay. Even mark in the North for the mayor of Wattrelos. “During a celebration of school at the end of may, the director, takes me on a parking lot and explained to me that here kids are using these capsules,” remembers Dominique Baert.

Drug prescription free

This new drug has a peculiarity : it is legal and otc. Because nitrous oxide has not, at the beginning, this vocation. Used as anaesthetic in medicine, mixed with oxygen, it is also found in the siphons of chantilly. What are these cartridges refill, sold in the trade ray kitchen, who see their abuse. Gas is accessible and not expensive, which earned him the nickname ” the drug of the poor “.

Emptied in a balloon and then inhaled, nitrous oxide causes instantaneously a feeling of euphoria with laughter, ” says Dr. Leila Chaouachi, a pharmacist at the center of addictovigilance of Paris (AP-HP). The way of the helium, it also transforms the voice and is therefore sometimes used as a game. The effects last only two or three minutes, and ” contribute to the trivialization of the use “, minimizing the effects of the drug on the body.

Young consumers

The risks are very real. “Inhaling nitrous oxide may cause side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea…” list Leila Chaouachi. “A very high dose, you can go up with infections of the spinal cord and neurological disorders. “Without counting the risks induced by the use of” laughing gas “, a gas that is very cold which can cause frostbite of the nose, of the hands or of the vocal cords. The lack of oxygen can also cause asphyxiation if inhaled are too close together. The effect being immediate, there is also a risk of imbalance, which can lead to falls.

If the consumption of nitrous oxide “is not the subject of a specific measure” in the annual report of the French Observatory for drugs and drug addiction (OFDT), a study of the mutual étudiante Smerep unveiled at the end of 2018 the ranked as the third drug most consumed by the students (6 %) behind cannabis (20 %) and poppers (7 %). A sign of its commonality, they were only 44 % to qualify the “laughing gas” drug.

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” The consumption of nitrous oxide exists since a long time, stressed Leila Chaouachi, but what is different today is that it is consumed by teenagers. “During a passage in a high school in paris, some students have entrusted to be tried as early as twelve years old. Same observation in Aulnay-sous-Bois, confirms Séverine Maroun.

Ban on sales to minors

in the Face of this phenomenon which worries, local elected officials have taken in recent months, the decrees prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide to minors. Dominique Baert opened the ball at Wattrelos as early as 29 may, followed by his colleague of The Madeleine (North), or to Aulnay-sous-Bois in early August. The commune of the Seine-Saint-Denis has also rolled out a poster campaign and awareness-raising. “The goal is not to make an arrested criminal, but of the pedagogy. After, if one realizes that a trader is abusing, then you will become a criminal, ” warned the deputy.

These decrees, are they not rather a sword in the water ? No, ensures Séverine Maroun. “The miners are not going to provide at the Crossroads that is too far, nor on Amazon, because they do not have a credit card, but in the shops” on which the order may be more effective. “The Leclerc in the corner called us to say that they withdrew completely the nitrous oxide for sale” ad even Dominique Baert.

above all, the orders have helped raise awareness of the dangers of the misuse of nitrous oxide. “It was easy, with cartridges and a balloon, the parents saw nothing, tip Séverine Maroun. Now, they are aware that it exists and will be more vigilant. “

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Ban, or to educate ?

local officials now want that the law adapts to these new uses, and prohibit the sale to minors on the territory. Two bills have already been filed, one in the Assembly and the other in the Senate, but have not yet been examined.

If all one does is prohibit, it is exposed to a risk of postponement of addictions.

A ban alone would not necessarily be effective, cautions Dr. Leila Chaouachi. “One is exposed to a risk of postponement of addictions, or even that the consumers go and provide on the Internet, where one does not always know the exact composition of the product, which complicates the treatment. “

It calls for prevention to reduce the risks – “do not inhale the gas output of the cartridge and pass through a ball to avoid the risk of frostbite, protect the hands, avoid be a standing order not to fall and do the full of oxygen between two shots” – because even if it is forbidden, as for the other drugs, ” the consumer will continue “, at least in part.

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