Dorset PCC ‘delighted’ that Nitrous Oxide is now illegal in the UK
David Sidwick has been calling for tougher legislation om the issue
Dorset Police will be cracking down on the use of Nitrous Oxide following a change in the law that's made the drug illegal.
The county's Police and Crime Commission has spent the last two years fighting for stronger legislation of Nitrous Oxide, otherwise known as NOS or Laughing Gas, because of the harm it was having on young people.
David Sidwick said:
“I have been leading calls for a review on nitrous oxide and vigorously lobbying the Home Office for a potential crackdown on the drug, so I am proud to have been part of the fight to achieve this vital change.”
NOS is the third most used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in England but now those caught abusing the substance could be sentenced to two-years in prison.
Meanwhile, suppliers of the Class C drug could face up to 14-years behind bars and merely possessing the substance could result in an unlimited fine, community service and a caution.
“The use of this drug was becoming normalised among young people in Dorset.” PCC Sidwick said, “We were told by youth workers that using it was seen as ‘harmless fun’.”
PCC Sidwick told us his biggest motivation to tackling nitrous oxide came from the impact the drug was having on the health of our young people.
Experts have raised concerns that prolonged use can cause serious health issues, including permanent neurological damage and potentially causing nerve-related symptoms such as being unable to walk, and loss of sensation.
On multiple occasions, Dorset Police have caught individuals high on NOS behind the wheel, “When you take a drug like this and decide to drive, it not only puts you at risk but it also puts every other person on the road at risk,” Mr Sidwick noted.