Laughing gas crackdown - One year on, what's being done?
One year ago, Metro Radio's Dominic Johnson exclusively revealed the illegal sale of potentially deadly laughing gas on the streets of Newcastle. But has anything been done to stop it?
Exactly one year ago, Metro Radio reporter Dominic Johnson exclusively revealed the illegal sale of potentially deadly laughing gas on the streets of Newcastle, but has anything been done to stop it?
A year ago Dominic went undercover to expose companies selling nitrous oxide in the North East. They claim it's for whipping cream to get around laws banning its sale for it's other use, to be inhaled as a recreational drug.
It's illegal to sell the gas if you believe it's going to be inhaled as a recreational drug.
But during our undercover recording, that's exactly what we found one company to be doing.
Inhaling the gas can induce lightheadedness and a sense of euphoria for a short time, but the side effects can be incredibly serious, including stroke, heart attacks and even in some cases, death.
The use of the gas has been growing in the UK, with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs writing to the government to highlight their concerns about the 'rapid increase' in its use.
Following Dominic's undercover investigations, he handed all the evidence to trading standards and they told us they would take action.
But these companies are still operating and still breaking the law.
One student in Newcastle, who's asked to remain anonymous, says more and more people are using it:
"In my student halls people started selling it there. There were lots of people doing it before a night out, it's just a part of student life.
"We were all doing it every night, it's never done any harm to me or anyone I know."
Well we spoke to Dave Ellerington from Newcastle Trading Standards, about what they were doing to tackle these companies.
He said things are being done and the new psychoactive substances bill will help to put a stop to the illegal trade.
He said: "The business was written to about your findings, they gave certain rerassurances about what was happening or what wasn't happening as the case may be. Laughing gas is a serious concern for all of us.
"I think the net's been closing for a long time. The penalties are clear, the law's quite clear in what it says. The ultimate risk is somebody dies and that's something they need to consider very seriously.
"The psychoactive substances bill is really a catalyst for this. The sanctions are much stronger, we're talking about prison sentences and fines of up to ÂŁ20,000.
"So I think reality dawns, if you want to continue to do this, especially after April if the law comes in then, you're going to suffer as a consequence."
The psychoactive substances bill is being introduced by the government in efforts to tackle legal highs, including nitrous oxide gas.
Authorities hope it will give them greater powers and abilities to crack down on those selling the products when it's introduced, expected to be at the start of April.