Police Trial ‘Laughing Gas’ Breathalyser

Police in Hampshire and the Thames Valley are trialling a world-first nitrous oxide breathalyser to detect drivers under the influence of the harmful drug, also known as ‘laughing gas’ or NOS.

Nitrous oxide is a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and offenders could serve up to two years in prison for possessing it for unlawful use. Its use can cause unconsciousness and even neurological damage or death from suffocation of the oxygen supply to the brain.

Tragically, officers have already seen deaths connected to drivers who were under the influence of NOS. In one case, three teenage boys were killed when they were passengers in a car that crashed into a tree along the A415 in Oxfordshire in 2023. The 18-year-old driver was filmed inhaling laughing gas behind the wheel just moments before the crash.

Acting Superintendent Emma Hart said:

“There is currently no device available that can prove a driver inhaled laughing gas, making prosecution difficult. That is why our forces are leading this testing phase, to break new ground and prove these devices can help save lives on our roads.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber added:

“This pioneering trial represents an important step in keeping roads safe across the Thames Valley. The misuse of nitrous oxide, particularly amongst younger drivers, is an increasing concern, and until now it has been difficult for officers to evidence its use at the roadside.”

The device, created by Respira Technologies, can detect if a user has inhaled nitrous oxide up to two hours afterwards. Officers across the two forces will be testing the device until 5 June.

Source: Thames Valley Police