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Berlin – Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wants to quickly introduce stricter rules to curb the sale of laughing gas as a party drug, especially to young people.

“We will come up with a solution quickly,” said the SPD politician today in ARD-“Morgenmagazin”. As one possibility, he mentioned the proposal from Lower Saxony to include laughing gas in the list of psychoactive substances, with very strict rules for its sale. “We are now tackling this very quickly,” assured the minister.

Until a regulation is passed, Lauterbach recommended that parents educate their children. “It sounds funny and harmless. But it isn’t,” warned the SPD politician. Regular consumption could lead to accidents or even neurological damage. Permanent damage cannot be ruled out either. “It is very dangerous for children and young people,” said Lauterbach. The minister does not believe a ban is possible because laughing gas is also used industrially.

Cologne physician Volker Limmroth called for strict restrictions on the availability of laughing gas. “The problem is that it is underestimated,” said Limmroth, chief physician of the neurology clinic in Cologne-Merheim, today in ARD-“Morgenmagazin”. It is currently legal, cheap and available. “They even have it at the kiosk next to every school now. And that has to stop. The availability has to be stopped,” he said. “An anesthetic does not belong on general sale, it belongs in the hands of doctors. And not between gummy bears.”

The German Society of Neurology (DGN) recently warned of the dangers. Consumption is increasing, particularly among adolescents and young adults. According to the Lower Saxony Medical Association, laughing gas is not classified as a drug under the Narcotics Act.

Lower Saxony’s Health Minister Andreas Philippi (SPD) welcomed the initiative to restrict access to nitrous oxide. “I particularly welcome Karl Lauterbach’s clear statements in favor of restricting access to nitrous oxide. This is a strong signal for effective health protection for children and young people.”

The upcoming amendment to the New Psychoactive Substances Act should be used to introduce a ban on the sale or distribution of laughing gas to minors, said Philippi. Lower Saxony is currently preparing a corresponding application – the Federal Council could then make a corresponding decision at its next meeting on June 14.

Armin Grau (Greens), chairman of the Health Committee and member of the Committee on the Environment and Consumer Protection, stressed that it was very important to quickly find a regulation that would protect children and young people from using laughing gas in their free time. To do this, very strict rules would have to be introduced for the free sale. Classifying laughing gas as a psychoactive substance could be a sensible first step. © dpa/aha/aerzteblatt.de