(de-news.net) – In response to escalating societal and medical concerns surrounding the non-medical consumption of nitrous oxide, the Federal Cabinet has adopted a legislative draft designed to impose stringent restrictions on access to the substance. The primary objective of the proposed measure is the mitigation of health risks—ranging from frostbite to severe neurological impairment — particularly among minors, deemed especially vulnerable to its deleterious effects.
Pursuant to the proposed legal framework, nitrous oxide cartridges exceeding a volume of eight grams shall be subject to a comprehensive handling prohibition. The draft legislation further stipulates that both the procurement and possession of such cartridges by individuals under the age of 18 will be impermissible. Additionally, commercial dissemination via automated vending systems and internet-based vendors is to be prohibited. Comparable restrictions are to be extended to the chemical compounds 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) and Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL), both of which are recognized for their psychotropic potential and susceptibility to abuse.
Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU), who prioritized this initiative during the early phase of her incumbency, emphasized the significant medical risks associated with nitrous oxide when used outside its sanctioned industrial or therapeutic contexts. She underscored the necessity of shielding youth populations from a substance whose euphoric properties conceal its potential for lasting harm. Notably, exceptions to the prohibition are confined to applications demonstrably justified by contemporary scientific and technical standards, such as those within industrial, pharmaceutical, or research domains.
According to Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck (CDU), the sharp increase in reported incidents of neurological injury attributable to sustained nitrous oxide usage underscores the urgent public health imperative motivating the reform. He characterized the proposed legislation as a critical step toward bolstering both youth protection and societal well-being.
Complementing these measures, the Federal Government has also moved to enhance regulatory oversight of so-called ‘K.o.-drops.’ These substances, frequently employed in the perpetration of sexual assaults and thefts, are to be subjected to intensified legal scrutiny under the same legislative apparatus.