Drugs - Easily available and dangerous - laughing gas as a party drug
Lachgas can be ordered online or purchased at kiosks. There are various sizes and flavor options available. However, inhaling this gas, which is primarily used by young people to experience a rush, is not prohibited. Empty cartridges are a common sight in Frankfurt's inner city, often found in bushes or under parking spaces.
According to the results of the latest drug trend study, the consumption of Lachgas in Frankfurt has significantly increased. In 2022, 17 percent of 15- to 18-year-olds reported trying it at least once, compared to 13 percent the previous year. Six percent of those surveyed reported using it within the past 30 days.
Lachgas is harmful to health: The German Neurology Society warns of risks ranging from loss of consciousness, paralysis, and brain damage.
The city of Frankfurt is focusing on education. Information materials have been distributed to multipliers, such as the State Education Authority, according to the Frankfurt Drug Referat. A video has also been produced. Multiple times, employees of the prevention project Safe Party People have been on the move - their goal is to sensitize kiosk owners to the topic. Some have even agreed to remove it from their inventory.
Speech with Kiosk Owners
On another afternoon, two employees of the Safe Party People project cross the nightlife district in the Sachsenhausen neighborhood, each carrying a list of sales kiosks. "Good day, we're from the Safe Party People project and we'd like to talk about Lachgas," says Christian Vierling to the man behind the counter of the first kiosk. He waves them off. "I don't sell it and won't sell it," the man explains. "I don't want to harm children." He adds, upon questioning, that he has seen children with the cartridges in hand.
In another kiosk nearby, the colorful cartridges are displayed in the window. The woman behind the counter tells the two Safe Party People representatives that they should speak to the owner. This is also the response in other kiosks. Many insist that they would never sell Lachgas to young people.
Christian Vierling leaves informational flyers behind, which explain the health risks. His goal is not to denounce Lachgas but to help people make informed decisions: If they are informed about its effects, risks can be minimized. The sale is indeed a lucrative business. For kiosk owners, the decision is not an easy one.
Stricter Rules Planned
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced stricter rules at the end of May to curb the sale of Lachgas, particularly to young people. As a possibility, he mentioned the proposal to add Lachgas to the list of psychoactive substances with very strict sales regulations. Until a regulation is in place, Lauterbach advised parents to educate their children. "That sounds funny and carefree. But it's not," warned the SPD politician. A ban is not feasible for the minister because Lachgas is also industrially used.
A regulation with a sales ban for minors is reasonable, states Oliver Müller-Maar from the Frankfurt Drug Referat. The example of alcohol shows, however, that bans alone do not help. "Offensive prevention and education for all involved – young people, parents, educational professionals and multipliers but also for the trade – are supporting measures in any case important."
Experience shows that most consumption occurs despite all bans, also states Christian Vierling from Safe Party People. It is important to invest in prevention and provide people with information. Particularly with young people, there is a risk that they will develop an addiction.
- Despite the health risks associated with nitrous oxide, or Lachgas, as highlighted by the German Neurology Society, empty cartridges are frequently found in Frankfurt's inner city, often discarded in bushes or under parking spaces.
- During their talks with kiosk owners in the Sachsenhausen neighborhood, the Safe Party People representatives discovered that while some refuse to sell Lachgas due to concerns about children's health, others display the colorful cartridges in their window.
- Frankfurter Drugerät's Oliver Müller-Maar supports the idea of a regulation that would ban the sale of Lachgas to minors, arguing that though bans alone aren't sufficient, prevention and education are crucial for all parties involved, including parents, educators, and the trade.
- In light of the increasing consumption of Lachgas among Frankfurt's teenagers, as per the drug trend study, Frankfurter Drugerät and Safe Party People are focusing on education, distributing information materials, and encouraging kiosk owners to remove the product from their inventory.
