UK police forces launch world's first laughing gas breathalyser in roadside crackdown

Two police forces across the UK will be launching the world's first laughing gas breathalyser to crack down on dangerous drivers breaking road rules.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police will be the first police forces across the UK and the globe to trial the new technology.

Drivers using nitrous oxide, which is often referred to as laughing gas, NOS or hippy crack, have become an "emerging threat" for the police.

There have been instances of drivers using their vehicles while high on nitrous oxide, which can cause motorists to temporarily lose consciousness.

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Laughing gas is also a Class C drug, with possession of the drug for unlawful use potentially leading to a prison sentence of up to two years.

The breathalyser has been created by Respira Technologies using research from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

Drivers will breathe into the portable device, which can detect whether a user has inhaled nitrous oxide for up to two hours before.

A spokesperson for the two forces warned that it can cause "neurological damage or death from suffocation of the oxygen supply to the brain".

They added: "Tragically, our officers have already seen deaths connected to drivers who were under the influence of NOS.

"The innovative device is being tested by our officers to see if it can be used to detect if a driver is under the influence of this harmful drug."

If the breathalyser shows that the motorist was high on "hippy crack", they could be prosecuted for drug driving offences.

Data from the NHS shows that nitrous oxide was the third-most used drug in the 16-59 age group across England and Wales in 2020/2021.

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A separate report from the Office for National Statistics suggested that around 230,000 young people have inhaled the substance in England and Wales in the year ending June 2022.

The Home Office states that Britons can report people using laughing gas and anti-social behaviour by contacting their local neighbourhood policing team.

Acting Superintendent Emma Hart, of the joint operations roads policing unit of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, praised the use of the new technology for breaking down barriers to prosecution.

She added: "That is why our forces are leading this testing phase, to break new ground and prove these devices can help save lives on our roads."

Acting Superintendent Hart described nitrous oxide as a "growing issue", especially among young drivers who do not realise the gravity of the situation.

She emphasised that the police's insistence to crack down on the drug with new technology and how "important" the trials could be to roll out the technology across the country.

There have already been instances of people being involved in accidents when under the influence of laughing gas.

In 2023, three teenagers were killed when the vehicle they were passengers in crashed into a tree. The driver was previously seen inhaling the drug behind the wheel and speeding at 100mph.

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