Young people inhaling laughing gas while driving, warn police in Dudley
Dudley Police have issued a warning over the prolific use of laughing gas in the area, especially by young drivers.
The force took to Twitter to post a picture of bottles of Smartwhip, filled with nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas.
The bottles of nitrous oxide were seized in a stop and search, during which a hammer was also recovered.
A spokesperson for the force said: "We are seizing way too many of these for our liking recently with young people inhaling these in vehicles whilst driving.
"We have one in custody tonight on the back of a stop search where these and a hammer were recovered."
Despite Government plans to ban the recreational use of laughing gas, experts have warned that a ban will not stop usage.
In March, Dudley councillor Richard Body, who represents the Cradley and Wollescote ward, and who has recently passed away, told the Express & Star that he believed a government ban would be impossible to enforce.
Councillor Body, who had complained for years about discarded nitrous oxide cannisters, said: "The Government can pass any law they want but if there is not the police to enforce it then it will be totally useless.
"Many residents are angry about the littering problem of laughing gas, they are everywhere from local parks and alleys to strewn across the beauty spots of Clent which I see every weekend when I walk my dogs up there.
"However, how many people have actually been fined for littering these things, almost no-one, which again shows there is no point having a severe punishment for anything if there is no-one to enforce it."
Councillor Body added: "In May 2010 in Halesowen there were 34 reported sexual and criminal offences but in May 2022 there were 187 reports for the same thing which shows we have just not got the police officers to enforce the law.
"You can ban anything, alcohol causes a lot of problems but who would take any notice if it was banned. People are going to carry on taking laughing gas and throwing away the cannisters because they know there is no chance a police officer will catch them in the act."
