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In the US state of New York, whipped cream canister sales to anyone under the age of 21 are prohibited by nearly one-year-old state legislation. The rule allegedly came into force in November 2021, but it wasn’t until recently that convenience stores in the state were made aware of it, according to Newsweek. The goal of the regulation is to stop youngsters from inhaling nitrous oxide, sometimes known as laughing gas, from whipped cream canisters.
Nitric oxide is an approved chemical for proper professional usage, but when the cartridge is used incorrectly, it can be exceedingly dangerous, according to US Senator Joseph Addabbo, who sponsored the law.
The law was introduced last year in response to worries that youngsters are increasingly using nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as “whippets,” as a propellant in the canisters to get high. Convenience stores in New York started putting up signs to explicitly forbid consumers under the age of 21 from purchasing the canned dessert topping once they learned about it.
According to Fox News, the first offense of selling whipped cream canisters to a person under the age of 21 carries a $250 fine (about $20,000), and successive offenses can result in fines of up to $500 (almost $40,000).
Nitrous oxide, also known as “whippets,” is a dissociative anesthetic that can be inhaled by firing nitrous gas cartridges. The medicine can produce a “euphoric” mood, but it can also result in a blood pressure decrease, fainting, heart attacks, and unexpected death. Memory loss and insanity are two possible long-term impacts.
Mr. Addabbo sponsored the legislation outlawing the selling of whipped cream to teens after realizing the harm nitrous oxide was doing to his region. He said that after people raised concerns about the number of empty canisters left on the streets, he first learned about the issue in the neighborhood. In addressing the “serious problem,” he described the measure as an “important step.”
In a statement, Mr. Addabbo stated, “Unfortunately, young individuals purchase these cartridges and inhale this gas to get ‘high’ because they incorrectly believe it is a safe’ substance. This law will eliminate easy access to this hazardous poison for our youngsters.
According to reports, Ken Sopris, head of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, said that monitoring problems caused a delay in police enforcement. He claimed that he first learned about it around two months ago and that he then started telling other members.
