Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has introduced new legislation in the Dáil that would restrict the sale of Nitrous Oxide products in an attempt to reduce the harm that the widespread use of the gas is having in our communities.

Teachta Crowe co-sponsored the ‘Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill 2024’ with fellow Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward of Dublin Mid-West.

While introducing the Bill in the Dáil today, Teachta Crowe said:

“The sale and misuse of Nitrous Oxide is something that often slips under the radar in the fight against substance abuse in our communities and efforts to help those who suffer from addiction.

“Even though it ranks among the top three drugs used by young people, it garners very little attention by the media.

“We will all have seen the evidence of its use and its growing use. From the small silver bullets we used to see scattered by footpaths and in green spaces, to the large, thermos sized plastic containers that have taken their place.

“The use of this gas has led to death and serious long-term harm to people who have used it to achieve a quick high. It is predominantly young people who use it as it is cheap and easily accessible.

“I had previously put forward a Bill banning the sale of nitrous oxide to under 18s and I was astonished that the government were wholly uninterested in achieving that goal.

“Minister O’Gorman even wrote to me last year to tell me that, in his view, the current legislation is working fine and that my Bill was somehow unnecessary.

“Nitrous oxide is not a harmless substance. Prolonged use can have extremely damaging effects on the body. These include disorientation, impaired memory and cognition, and weakness in the legs. This worsens as the body is leeched of vitamin B12 and can lead to permanent afflictions like foot drop as the nervous system is eroded over time.

“There have even been direct fatalities from hypoxia as the nitrogen displaces the oxygen in the blood.

“Nitrous oxide is not safe, but it is incredibly prevalent and it is time we started taking it seriously.”