A Labour MP has hit out at the “slight moral panic” in seeking to criminalise possession of laughing gas and suggested it was “perfectly fine” for people to use the drug recreationally.
Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) said he accepted there are “marginal cases” where the drug can cause serious harm, but argued criminalisation would be disproportionate.
The Government is seeking to make nitrous oxide a class C controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, with exemptions for “legitimate purposes” such as medical and commercial use.
MPs voted 404 to 36, majority 368, in favour of supporting the move, and the secondary legislation will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords at a later stage.
Mr Russell-Moyle was among those who opposed the change in the Commons on Tuesday, warning that criminalisation would harm the poorest and ethnic minorities.
He also hit out at the UK’s wider drug control legislation, saying the measures in the 1971 Act benefit criminal gangs, and accused his own party and the Government of being “cheerleaders” for criminals by continuing to support the legislation.
Addressing the question of criminalising the possession of laughing gas, he said: “I’m also sceptical about the slight moral panic I’m afraid.
“And that’s not to dismiss that there are some very marginal cases of harm that are horrible and acute for those that are affected by it, death in its worst circumstance – we had caffeine deaths in this country by the way as well – and heart, lung and neurological problems.
“It’s not to dismiss that.”
But he added: “This is the third most widely taken drug in young people, but the harms caused do not even rank in the top 50 harms caused to young people. So the idea that this is a great drug of great harm is just not true.”
He went on: “Most people use this drug recreationally, perfectly harmlessly, perfectly acceptably, and my view is, actually, perfectly fine.
“I haven’t used it myself recreationally. But I have been in rooms where top judges – High Court – where lawyers, where senior politicians, I have been in rooms where celebrities have used these kinds of drugs and other drugs, and it causes them no harm whatsoever.”
He said the police do not “come knocking” when wealthy people take such drugs behind closed doors, but warned: “What this legislation and classification will do is it will target poor people, young people, it will target predominantly people of ethnic minorities.”
He said the 1971 Act “targets people” and “doesn’t help people get off drugs that they are addicted to”.
He told MPs: “The people that really want this are the gangs. The people that really want the continuation of the 1971 Act are the gangs.
“And I want the Government, and I want my party, to stop being the cheerleaders of gangs, stop being the cheerleaders of criminals, because they are while they continue to cheerlead for the 1971 Act.”
Currently, the production, supply and importation of nitrous oxide for non-legitimate psychoactive effects is illegal under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. But the law does not currently ban possession.
Mr Russell-Moyle has previously said full legalisation of recreational drugs is “not the answer”, but that he wants to see a model of harm reduction.
He was not the only one to oppose the Government’s proposed changes to the classification of laughing gas.
Elsewhere in the debate, SNP home affairs spokeswoman Alison Thewliss said: “We cannot arrest our way out of a public health issue.”
And Tory former health minister Dan Poulter, a former doctor at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, said the offences under the Act “would be disproportionate for the level of harm associated with nitrous oxide, and could have significant unintended consequences”.
Home Office minister Chris Philp told MPs: “230,000 young people inhaled this harmful substance in the year ending June 2022.
“It was the third most misused substance among that age group and, as we’ve discussed already, there is evidence it has harmful neurological effects particularly when consumed in quite large quantities.”
The Government has previously said the reclassification of the drug is part of a “zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour”.
Drugs awareness website Talk to Frank says it is “very dangerous” to inhale nitrous oxide directly from the canister, and that heavy use can cause a form of anaemia, nerve damage, and other health concerns.
“It’s fine to use laughing gas” clearly the man is an ignorant fool.
“It’s unlikely to cause serious harm compared to multiple other recreational drugs on the market, according to the comprehensive evidence base on the efficacy and prevalence, but it still shouldn’t be encouraged.”
total buffoon – how’d he get elected
Unfortunately the people of Kemp Town will vote for whichever moron dons a red rosette at election time, which mean we have at least six more years of him!
Compared to the 35% that voted for Joe Miller, a man who was convicted and tried to use his position to get away with dangerous driving whilst under the influence, twice over. I’m reminded of the saying that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Clearly, the electorate made a wise choice.
https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2023/06/16/former-tory-councillor-found-guilty-of-drink-driving/
I don’t vote Tory or Labour and would implore the good people of Kemp Town to do the same. And if you think that voting for a man infamous for his mysoginistic outbursts against women who disagree with his trans views, and goose-steps around the HoC with the cermemonial mace is a ‘wise choice’, then we really are in trouble. Touche!
But what choice is there? Surely not the Greens? They were the biggest disaster to hit Brighton and Hove since the Blitz.
Meanwhile, do we know the long term consequence of taking this drug?
We do know the long term effects of NO2, Hendrick.
The evidence base is very clear on this. The risks are mainly when someone is using a lot of it, or for long periods of time. Let us also not forget that N2O is an important tool for pain management for medics and is used extremely regularly with a very good side effect profile.
Heavy or sustained use of N2O inactivates vitamin B12, resulting in a functional vitamin B12 deficiency and initially causing numbness in fingers, which may further progress to peripheral neuropathy and megaloblastic anaemia. N2O use does not seem to result in dependence. Considering the generally modest use of N2O and its relative safety, it is not necessary to take legal measures. However, (potential) users should be informed about the risk of vitamin B12-deficiency-related neurological and haematological effects associated with heavy use. The primary treatment is the discontinuation of N2O and B12 supplements.
(129 References)
The great man-child strikes again!
Yeah let’s tell the kids about vitamin B12 deficiency, that’ll do it.
If they are B12 deficient, then they’ve had a significantly long period of using N2O. That’s more indicative of a more serious social problem. Reclassifying the drug does absolutely nothing to prevent, reduce harm, or support someone in that position, just labels them as a criminal and all the prohibitive stereotypes that come along with that.
It’s a healthcare problem, not a legal one. Should be dealt with accordingly, in my opinion.
Or we could wait for some poor sod to get asphyxiated and die.
Between 2010 – 2020 there have been 11 deaths due to N2O, according to ONS. Your argument would be better served illegalising nicotine, Steve.
And I’ll leave you to give that little statistic to the parents following the death of their precious child.
It’ll make them feel much better!!
Is it your contention that any drug that causes death should be criminalised?
If so, I have news for you about cigarettes and alcohol. Maybe you want to present those statistics to parents and get off your high horse?
I’ll leave you (Benjamin) to inform the parents following the deaths of their child that there’s only been 11 deaths in that period, it’ll make them feel much better.
Appealing to emotion is a logical fallacy, and you are intelligent enough to know this doesn’t create even a semi-decent argument. As someone who actually has had to have a conversation with people who I’ve ROLE’d, you should be more respectful to that burden.
Excessive use destroys your bones and causes immense pain. A young man died in Roundhill Crescent a couple of years ago. Tell him it’s harmless.
“Heavy, excessive and extended use.” are some important key words here. No-one is claiming harmless. Strawmanning is not a good look.
Well Benjamin we’ll leave you inform the parents of your statistics following the death of their child. It’ll make them feel much better.
Facts and statistics should be used to make informed decisions, and avoid unintentional (or intentional) consequences.
There are more deaths per year from drinking coffee, crossing the road, drinking water, slipping in the Bath, but none of these are criminalised.
Education is the answer, not criminalisation.
Thank you John, I agree. We should make evidence based decisions, rather than emotive ones.
The evidence base simply states that that N2O is not that dangerous in terms of mortality figures. Even taking those one a year deaths, I do not believe we will see any significant difference from criminalisation.
Parroting what someone else poorly says is a poor reflection on you, Sam. You’re better than hyperbole.
Laughing gas is made freely available to every woman in labour to take as much as they want with little supervision, it’s in the back of every ambulance for walking wounded being taken to hospital. Would the people agreeing with the ban and extolling the supposed dangers consider that if it was as dangerous as you suggest, that women in labour might not be a good group to give a “dangerous” drug to?
In fact this activity just looks to be making sure people can see politicians doing something, while completely failing to actually achieve anything. It is self serving bluster that will introduce more known and unintended harms to vulnerable people. Many more than 11 people a year will die because of this short sighted approach.
And what of the people who use nitrous oxide legally. Will police be raiding your nearest WI cake sale for their whipped cream?
Oh, it’s less than that Adam, it’s 11 people in a ten year period! You are absolutely right, entonox is one of our major analgesic choices for moderate pain that is very quick acting, doesn’t stay in the system long after you stop taking it, and is extremely safe to use for most patients.
It can be purchased normally from several medical gas companies rather easily. It’s a subscription service.
Your ignorance appears to know no bounds.
Moyle has also been against legislation against illegal escooters. He’s in favour of allowing them.
Picture the scene- sociopathic youths on powerful, unregulated vehicles, on drugs, probably gaping at their phones, powering through pedestrians…
Sounds silly and alarmist? Not in Moyle’s world!
Sounds silly and alarmist to me, yes Larry. Because when considering e-scooters, there is benefits to their existence, and to ensure them to be safe, regulation is the key.
Also DUI is already a thing Larry. It has been for quite a while Larry. Don’t know if you’re aware of this Larry. Makes your comment sound quite disingenuous Larry.
Maybe Moyle likes a good lung full that’s why he doesn’t want it criminalised.
This idiot needs to be removed as a Labour MP. Not only is he useless, he’s stupid too. Labour will not get my vote unless he is removed. He needs to be put on public display in a stock in the New Stein were people can throw rotten tomatoes and eggs at!
A pillory would be better. He would be unable to dodge…
Moyle is completely useless. If this is the best we have then there’s no hope. He achieves nothing for the money we pay him.
How is he a m.p dreadful excuse of a man… I will never vote for him he should crawl back to peacehaven and stay out of Brighton politics as he hasn’t a clue
I’m with you 100% The man is a complete fool!!