NO LAUGHING MATTER
POLICE COULD SEIZE CARS IN CRACKDOWN ON NITROUS OXIDE USERS
POLICE are threatening to seize the cars of people inhaling nitrous oxide - or laughing gas - in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
Staff at an Asda store are regularly verbally abused when they challenge people sitting in cars in the supermarket’s car park.
Police have now threatened to use powers under the Road Traffic Act to seize the cars in which laughing gas is being taken The incidents at Asda are among a range of incidents at car parks across one county borough.
They were revealed in a council report into the problems caused by people abusing the gas and how they might be tackled.
It is a medical product, used as an anaesthetic, but is also used as a propellant for whipped cream dispensers. Its inhalation produces a brief euphoria, but can cause unconsciousness or even death.
ASDA staff are regularly being verbally abused when they challenge people sitting in cars inhaling laughing gas outside their store.
Employees have intervened on several occasions to try to get louts using nitrous oxide to leave the lower storey car park of the supermarket in Oadby, only to trigger tirades of insults.
Police have now threatened to use powers under the Road Traffic Act to seize the cars in which laughing gas is being taken.
The incidents at Asda are among others at car parks across Oadby and Wigston revealed in a council officials’ report into the problems caused by people abusing the gas and how they might be tackled.
Its use produces a brief euphoria but floods users’ lungs and can cause unconsciousness or even death due to a lack of oxygen.
Mixing it with alcohol is particularly dangerous, say health experts.
Officials are now considering bringing in a borough-wide ban on taking or possessing the substance, which comes in small silver canisters.
Tell-tale signs of its use can often be seen with the silver canisters discarded as litter in large numbers at the locations where users gather.
Under the proposed measure, known as a public space protection order, police would have the power to confiscate any nitrous oxide canisters and issue fines of £100 to offenders.
The gas is a medical product, used as an anaesthetic, but is also used as a propellant for whipped cream dispensers. It has become a popular recreational drug, particularly among young people.
A report, to be considered by the licensing and regulatory committee at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, said: “It is clear that residents in the borough are concerned with the use of nitrous oxide.
“Reports have been received both by the council and by police either concerning the use of the substance, or metal canisters left discarded in public places.”
There were a dozen reports of anti-social behaviour arising from use of the gas across Oadby and Wigston between the end of March last year and the beginning of April.
The report adds: “The use of nitrous oxide attracted other issues to the locations, which included groups meeting in cars and playing loud music at unreasonable times, the use of cannabis and littering.
“Due to the specific problems this was causing at Coombe Park on Coombe Rise in Oadby, a local volunteer offered their service to lock the park gate in the evening, preventing vehicle access to the park.”
Asda has been contacted for comment by the Mercury, but hadn’t responded by the time we went to press.