Kaiserslautern fights for laughing gas: ban on sales for minors planned!

Kaiserslautern fights for laughing gas: ban on sales for minors planned!

The city of Kaiserslautern reacts to the increasingly worrying situation around the consumption of laughing gas and is planning a ban on sales for this gas known as a fashion drug to minors. In the past few months, urban employees have often been confronted with empty laugh gas bottles in the city, especially at schools, playgrounds and the exhibition center. An incident in which almost 60 empty bottles were found on a single day at the exhibition center illustrates the extent of the problem. Lachgas not only causes health risks, but also leaves a considerable amount of garbage in the city, which has moved those responsible for the initiative to act against this development. According to the current information, Kaiserslautern is the first municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate that introduces such a ban on sales.

The planned general order is expected to come into force in March. If the ban on the sales is not complied with, the sellers face fines. Manfred Schulz, Mayor of Kaiserslautern, sees the need for a nationwide regulation, but expresses concerns about the short -term implementation of similar measures in other cities. An example of existing regulations is Osnabrück, where fines for sale to minors have also been introduced.

health risks and national debates

The discussion about dealing with laughing gas has also started speed at the federal level. Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach plans a law to prevent the sale of laughing gas to young people. The focus is on the fact that nitrous gas (chemically known as a stabile monoxide or N2O) has not yet been regulated in Germany in the Narcotics Act. This enables sales in various shops and even online, which is particularly problematic for children and young people. In industry, laughing gas is used for legitimate purposes, for example for foaming cream, but the abuse as a intoxicant is alarming. The planned draft law stipulates that the sale to minors is prohibited, while industrial and scientific uses should continue to be allowed.

A ministry spokesman has confirmed that the draft law has already been into the departmental vote. A possible schedule for the implementation of the ban on sales could provide goodbye after the summer break in 2025. Although similar regulations already exist in other cities, Lauterbach argues that the implementation at the national level is unrealistic before the Bundestag election.

increasing consumption among young people

The consumption of laughing gas has risen drastically among young people in Germany. According to reports, 11.3% of 14- to 17-year-olds have already had experience with laughing gas in 2021. The health risks are significant: risk of suffocation, neurological damage and severe deficiency symptoms, such as a vitamin B12 deficiency, are just a few of the potential consequences. Neurologist Gereon Fink warns that the consumption of laughing gas can also lead to extreme health problems, including spinal cord damage and paralysis.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the misuse of Lachgas from 2022 to 2023 more than tripled, which underlines the urgency of consistent action. Addiction consultants therefore require stricter legal measures and warn of the dangers of consumption, especially in the context of mixed consumption with alcohol and other drugs.