Police - 21-year-old races across the A63: probably under the influence of nitrous oxide
A young driver was reportedly under the influence of laughing gas on the A63 near Mainz, allegedly driving with up to 200 hours of mileage. The 21-year-old driver was noticed by other traffic participants due to his reckless driving, overtaking from the right, and high speeds, according to police reports on Friday.
The police stopped the car at Nieder-Olm on Tuesday morning. They caught the driver with a balloon between his legs, from which the drug is usually consumed. In addition, the officers found 13 empty laughing gas canisters in the vehicle. An uncapped laughing gas canister was also found between the driver's and passenger's seat.
To make matters worse, the man was driving without a valid driver's license. He was no longer allowed to continue driving afterwards; a blood sample was taken from him. The police are investigating for driving under the influence of intoxicating substances.
Laughing gas, or Nitrous Oxide (N2O), has been on the rise as a party drug in recent years. Consumers inhale the euphoriant substance through balloons. In Germany, laughing gas has not fallen under the Narcotics Act so far.
Police statement
The young driver's erratic behavior on the A63 was linked to the use of nitrous oxide, as evidenced by the balloon found between his legs and the 13 empty canisters in the car. This incident led to charges of driving under the influence of intoxicating substances in Rhineland-Palatinate, where Mainz is located. The police in this region have been dealing with an increase in nitrous oxide use as a party drug, despite it not being classified as a narcotic under German law.
