NO LAUGHING MATTER

It may have become illegal to possess, but the use of nitrous oxide for a quick high doesn't seem to be stopping

- MISHAAL KHAN

Many of us will have seen the small silver canisters littering the streets, discarded after the dangerous contents have been inhaled. Used as a painkiller in dentistry and medicine, and also in catering, such as in whipped cream dispensers, the consumption of nitrous oxide - more commonly known as laughing gas - increased dramatically during the pandemic among 16-24-year-olds in search of a quick, cheap high.

Nitrous oxide abuse can cause damage to the nervous system, leading to spinal cord damage and even paralysis. And while it's been illegal to supply for some time, it was made illegal to possess in November 2023. It is now a Class C drug - those repeatedly caught with it for unlawful use could serve up to two years in prison, with a maximum sentence of 14 years for supplying or producing it for unlawful use. But the problem is far from over, as school-aged children and festival-goers, among others, continue to get their hands on the easily accessible and highly addictive substance.

We speak to a woman whose addiction to laughing gas almost ruined her life, before she finally got help...

If I'd carried on. I wouldn't have made it to 30'

Billie Dee, 35, lives in Margate and is a PR consultant.