The Los Angeles City Council voted on Oct. 7 to bar tobacco and cannabis retailers from selling nitrous oxide, with violators facing up to a $1,000 fine or six months in county jail, LAist reported. The vote was unanimous, and the ordinance now goes to Mayor Karen Bass, who intends to sign it, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported that a violation would be a misdemeanor and that the rule would take effect about a month after it is signed.
Nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, is often sold in small canisters known as whippets and in larger flavored tanks. The FDA advises consumers not to inhale nitrous oxide from canisters, tanks, or chargers of any size, warning that it can cause paralysis, psychiatric effects, lasting nerve damage, and death. Brands the agency names include Galaxy Gas, HOTWHIP, and Miami Magic.
