The possession and recreational use of nitrous oxide is now illegal in the UK as new Government legislation takes effect from today.
Nitrous oxide – which is also known as laughing gas, ‘hippie crack’, balloons, and nos – is the second most-used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK, after cannabis.
If you’re unfamiliar with the substance, as defined by FRANK, nitrous oxide is “a colourless gas most commonly found in pressurised metal canisters which you may have seen lying around in streets outside bars and nightclubs.”
It’s often consumed by “transferring the gas into a container (usually a balloon), then inhaling from the balloon”, and this is because “inhaling nitrous oxide directly from the canister is very dangerous [as] the gas is under such high pressure, which can cause a spasm of the throat muscle and stop a person breathing.”
The popularity of the drug is believed to be due to the fact that it’s cheap and easy to get hold of, and it’s while it’s known to produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and calmness, as well as fits of giggles and laughter, it’s also linked to a wide range of negative side effects.
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Possession and recreational use of ‘laughing gas’ is now illegal in the UK / Credit: Geoff Davis (via Geograph)
After making the announcement of intent in early September, the Home Office has confirmed that, from today (8 November 2023), the possession and recreational use of nitrous oxide is now illegal in the UK, as the substance has been reclassified and upgraded to a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
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The new legislation – which is part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, that was promised earlier this year – means users of the substance could face up to two years in prison, while sellers could see themselves spend up to 14 years behind bars.
Other consequences include unlimited fines, a visible community punishment, and a caution which would appear on criminal records.
⚠️ From 8 November nitrous oxide will become a banned Class C drug. Possession of 'NOS' to produce a high will be illegal and could lead to a community punishment, a hefty fine or a caution on your record.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the British public are “fed up with yobs abusing drugs in public spaces and leaving behind a disgraceful mess for others to clean up” in a statement confirming the intention to reclassify nitrous oxide back in September.
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Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said the country “cannot allow young people to think there are no consequences to misusing drugs”.
“We are delivering on the promise we made to take a zero-tolerance approach towards antisocial behaviour and flagrant drug taking in our public spaces,” he continued in a statement on the introduction of the new legislation today.
“Abuse of nitrous oxide is also dangerous to people’s health and today we are sending a clear signal to young people that there are consequences for misusing drugs.
“Both users and dealers will face the full force of the law for their actions.”
Featured Image – Supplied (via Facebook)
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Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester
Abbie Bartlett
24-year-old neo soul singer Olivia Dean was in Manchester last night performing her Mercury prize-nominated album effortlessly with a voice and style made for the stage.
Fans of the star have watched her go from strength to strength over the past year, from being nominated for three Brits, performing at Coachella and now preparing for this year’s Glastonbury festival.
As someone who frequents gigs like they’re going out of fashion, it’s a bold statement but I think this may be one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and Olivia Dean can only be described being a star.
Before we dive into the performance, it’s only fair to take a minute to shoutout what an incredible venue for music the Albert Hall is. The former Methodist hall projects and echos acoustics perfectly and the raised stage and balcony area mean everyone in the building has a good view.
It’s no surprise that given her recent success the show at the Albert Hall was a complete sell-out, appearing on stage in a stunning floor-length silk dress the sea of fans filled the venue with admiring applause.
Olivia looked stunning in a floor length dress.The crowd was mesmorised.
With a seven-piece band behind her, the star jumped straight into an atmospheric UFO before a cheery ‘How are we Manchester?’ and raising a can of Red Stripe. She quickly follows with Ok Love You Bye – a track that gets the whole crowd singing along and contemplating their past love decisions (maybe that last bit was just me).
The singer seamlessly glided through her set with ease, tambourine in hand, wowing fans with gorgeous melodies and relatable lyrics.
Gracefully sitting at the piano the room fell to silence as we heard Everybody’s Crazy and ICould Be a Florist, I’d predict I wasn’t the only person crying at this point.
As the evening rolled on and the songs kept coming the genuine talent Olivia has, not just as a singer but as a lyricist, had the crowd hooked on her every word. Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts how it feels to fall in love.
Olivia Dean 2024 setlist
UFO
Ok Love You Bye
Echo
Danger
Cross My Mind
Be My Own Boyfriend
What Am I Gonna Do on Sundays?
No Man
Messy
Touching Toes
Everybody’s Crazy
I Could Be a Florist
Ladies Room
Reason to Stay
The Hardest Part
Carmen
Saying her goodbyes with a ‘I’ve had such a lovely evening’ and telling the crowd how happy she is to be back home in the UK after recent shows in America.
Experiencing Olivia Dean at Albert Hall felt genuinely special, the star is destined for a life time of deserved fame but her voice was made to be experiences in an intimate venue. The opportunity to enjoy her talent in such a perfect venue was nothing short of a divine evening.
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2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity
Danny Jones
Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.
This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.
As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.
Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.
The 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon was a spectacular day for the city and its economy.
Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie.
Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.
Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.
The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.
Together you have raised over £3.7 million for charitable causes, adding even more meaning to those 26.2 miles 💕 Well done and thank you to all those who fundraised and donated! 🌟Tag us in those charity top pictures from last weekend 😍😍#ManchesterMarathonpic.twitter.com/5gsi6NtFzB
This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.
This was a 20% increaseon 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.
With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons.
Emily Sergeant -
8th November 2023 
