Well-being - Helmstedt prohibits selling nitrous oxide to minors.
The Helmstedt region has forbidden the selling of nitrous oxide, a substance often used as a party drug, to minors. They made this decision during a council meeting on Wednesday evening, with two abstentions, as per a representative of the region. The reason behind the ban was the discovery of an automated machine selling nitrous oxide right next to a school in the neighboring Gifhorn region, as well as a kiosk in Schöningen promoting its nitrous oxide offer on Instagram.
To tackle this issue early on, the district administration has opted to prohibit the sale of nitrous oxide to minors through a safety prevention law, which is permitted by the police law of Lower Saxony.
Nitrous oxide is commonly utilized as an anesthetic in the medical field. When consumed as a recreational drug, however, it can lead to issues like confusion, nausea, unsteadiness, and a drop in blood pressure. In high doses, the consequences can be more severe, leading to heart attacks, severe paralysis, brain damage, or even death.
The Lower Saxony Criminal Police Office has mentioned occasional hospitalizations in the state as a result of inhaling nitrous oxide. Although, exact data from police crime statistics have not been confirmed. Since 2003, there have been approximately 300 crimes related to nitrous oxide in Lower Saxony, as per the details shared. The Federal Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach (SPD), has recently declared stricter regulations for the distribution of nitrous oxide, particularly to younger individuals.
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The decision to prohibit nitrous oxide sales to minors in Helmstedt was influenced by a similar incident in the neighboring Gifhorn municipalities, where an automatic machine was found selling nitrous oxide near a school. The county council of Lower Saxony allowed this prevention law due to the potential health risks associated with nitrous oxide, which can lead to serious consequences like heart attacks and brain damage. Despite its medical use as an anesthetic, the misuse of nitrous oxide as a party drug is a concern, prompting stricter regulations to protect younger individuals, as recently declared by the Federal Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach. Locally, the council's decision has been raised on social media platforms, such as Instagram, where kiosks in areas like Schöningen continue to promote nitrous oxide sales.
