One-in-four drug users at Irish festivals using laughing gas

Revenue seized 14,000 canisters of laughing gas this year, according to new figures given to Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins. File Picture of discarded canisters.

One-in-four drug users at music festivals in Ireland get high on laughing gas, it has emerged.

The HSE has found that nitrous oxide is an emerging trend among young Irish festival-goers.

The gas is intended for use as an anaesthetic in dental practices or as a propellant in whipped-cream canisters.

However, due to its use in the catering industry, the gas can be bought in large quantities online with relative ease.

It is illegal to sell nitrous oxide for human consumption and it is also illegal to consume it under the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010.

The gas is inhaled using a balloon, creating a short-lasting euphoria, but there are risks associated with its use.

People who use them are at risk of dying from suffocation and frequent use can lead to blood cell problems.

Fine Gael TD, Emer Higgins, has called for legislation to limit the sale of nitrous oxide.

The HSE released new data to her showing that one in four attendees at music festivals who used drugs last year, used nitrous oxide.

Ms Higgins said local parks in her Dublin constituency have become littered with “strange shiny, silver bullets” - the canisters that contain the gas and local community leaders said the problem was widespread.

Teenagers inhale nitrous oxide - laughing gas - from these bullets to get high and the easy availability of nitrous oxide online really is shocking.

Ms Higgins, who has raised the issue in the Dáil, said the gathering of evidence by the HSE on nitrous oxide in Ireland was a welcome first step in tackling this scourge.

“Revenue has never seized this drug before 2020. But, alarmingly, I obtained figures which show that Revenue has seized over 14,000 canisters this year.” 

Ms Higgins has also called on Google to ban sponsored advertisements for nitrous gas and to include a health warning on search results.

“Nitrous oxide is freely available to purchase online from some Irish and foreign hosted websites at less than €2 per canister.” 

Ms Higgins said Belgium was planning to ban the sale of nitrous oxide to under-18s and the Netherlands was considering banning it altogether.

"While too many young people see it as harmless fun, neurologists are crystal clear about its long-term consequences. 

"The gas depletes the body's store of vitamin B12. This can cause spinal cord damage and is leading to young people being diagnosed as paraplegic and becoming wheelchair-bound."