With the Government to announce a crackdown on anti social behaviour, Michael Gove announced that nitrous oxide — also known as laughing gas — will be banned as part of the regulations
Gove told Sky News:
“I think any of us who have the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little silver canisters, which are examples of people not only spoiling public spaces but taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological effect and one that contributes to antisocial behaviour overall,”
A recent Home Office review stopped short of banning the substance, but Gove insisted the government would go ahead
Ahead of the announcement the Government has also trailed that vandals would have to repair damage to public spaces within 48 hours of getting an order, and communities would be given a say on how offenders are punished
Shadow Culture Secretary and Manchester MP Lucy Powell said that on the government’s watch anti-social behaviour has got worse, sentencing has fallen immeasurably, and crimes are going unsolved.
But she said Labour, like the government, wanted to see nitrous oxide banned because of the amount of littering, disruption and antisocial behaviour.
