HAGLEY doctor David Nicholl has stepped up his campaign to clamp down on the abuse and sale of Nitrous Oxide as a recreational drug.
Neurologist Dr Nicholl previously told the Standard that he and his colleagues used to see one patient every ten years for medical issues relating to the substance but now he and others were seeing several-a-week.
There had also been a steep rise in the quantities people were consuming – previously people had been ‘ballooning’ (the practice of filling balloons with the gas to inhale it) from the small silver canisters. But lately some people were ‘getting through the much larger containers in one weekend’.
Dr Nicholl met with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster during his monthly Strategic Policing and Crime Board last week to express his concerns and to ask how many people had been arrested in connection with selling Nitrous Oxide for recreational purposes.
He was told there had only been four people held in relation to Nitrous Oxide.
It was also suggested the substance, which is used to produce whipped cream, not be referred to as its common name of ‘laughing gas’ which, Dr Nicholl said and the PCC agreed, ‘trivialised’ its use as a high.
The gas can lead to severe symptoms, including nerve damage, impaired memory and cognitive function, dizziness and vitamin B12 deficiency.
A video Dr Nicholl created to warn of the dangers has had close to a million views on TikTok and he also set up a photograph to illustrate the negative impact it could have on male sexual performance in a bid to deter users.
Dr Nicholl’s meeting with the PCC also came after a letter signed by 50 fellow neurologists from across the West Midlands wrote to Mr Foster echoing the Hagley doctor’s cals.
Mr Foster said he was grateful to Dr Nichol for highlighting the important issue.
“The reported increase in the admissions of patients to hospitals in the West Midlands, as a consequence of the misuse of Nitrous Oxide for recreational purposes, is a matter of serious concern.
“I note in particular that in some cases, misuse is leading to permanent neurological disability.
“In addition to that, there are also the dangers that arise due to people driving, whilst under the influence of Nitrous Oxide and anti-social behaviour.”
He added he was considering what further action could be taken to prevent and tackle Nitrous Oxide misuse and called on the Government to strengthen the regulatory regime and urged West Midlands Police to work with partner agencies, such as Public Health and Trading Standards to make sure it was less readily available, especially to young people.
“I am also calling on retailers immediately, to accept their responsibility to comply with the law relating to the sale of Nitrous Oxide and exercise all due care and attention, in relation to who they are selling it to and the circumstances in which it is being sold and purchased.”
Dr Nicholl added: “Myself and my colleagues across the West Midlands are concerned at the sizeable number of admissions to hospital as a consequence of Nitrous Oxide abuse. This was a neurological rarity pre-pandemic, we began to see a large increase in 2020, and things have further deteriorated this year, with an increasing use of large Nitrous Oxide cylinders.
“Neurologists in every hospital in our region are now seeing patients presenting with this avoidable neurological harm.
“Although most patients will recover, some are left with life-changing neurological injuries, and are unlikely to walk again fully normally. We agree with the British Compressed Gas Association that this material should be more tightly regulated.
“It should not be available in an unregulated manner from corner shops as easy to purchase as “buying a loaf of bread’.
“We hope that by raising this, it will lead to greater focus both as public health issue, in terms of education, but also to take action against criminal suppliers.
“Clearly four arrests in a region of our size is not enough to clamp down on this, we are however keen to work with any other agencies to try and reduce the level of harm to the people of the West Midlands.”
