The Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) adopted legislation in the first week of June that will sharply limit the sale of laughing gas. As of 1 July, the sale of nitrous oxide to persons under 18 years old will be forbidden. Older consumers may purchase no more than 18 g of nitrous oxide at any one time, or two cylinders of 9 g each. Retailers will also face new reporting requirements.
Intended primarily as a public health measure, it is expected that the restrictions targeting the sale of large nitrous oxide canisters for recreational use will also reduce littering and improper disposal of the tanks. The growing use of laughing gas as a party drug has led to a surge in the number of canisters in the residual waste stream, causing problems throughout the waste management chain, particularly in processing steps where cylinders are compressed or heated....
