They are regularly found on the ground, abandoned there by unscrupulous consumers. Canisters of nitrous oxide, this “laughing gas” used as a cheap drug for its euphoric properties, are now banned in Montpellier. “In the absence of national regulations, it is up to the mayor […] to take appropriate measures to prevent disorders and nuisances that harm public health, tranquility and hygiene,” explains the community.
The order signed by Michaël Delafosse only authorizes the sale of these canisters by wholesalers or specialized businesses. Particularly targeted are night grocery stores. More than two hundred of them sold them until now in Montpellier, according to the counts of the municipal police. “Several administrative closures of businesses […] were ordered for illegal sales of certain products […] to minors.
“Consumption of this substance poses serious health risks”
Until now and since July 2020, the sale of “proto” cartridges was only prohibited to minors. “The consumption of this substance causes serious health risks: motor disorders, altered perception, convulsions, neurological disorders,” specifies the municipal decree. They “have been the Source of sometimes fatal accidents and refusals to comply.”
