ST. PAUL, Minn–State Senator Zach Duckworth (R-Lakeville) today presented Senate File 1215 to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee to address concerns surrounding a new drug trend abusing widely available nitrous oxide canisters, referred to as ‘whippets.’ 

 

A recent article shows whippets, also known as laughing gas, have been growing in popularity as a recreational inhalant among young adults. Abusing the gas has been associated with nerve damage, dizziness, hallucinations, cognitive damage, and even death. Most concerning, this drug is widely available at Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, and even some convenience stores. The unregulated sale of these products has continued under the guise of being utilized for culinary purposes, such as whipped cream canisters.  

 

“We’ve seen the harmful, lasting effects whippets abuse can have on our young people,” Duckworth said. “This bill strikes the needed balance to keep this dangerous product out of the hands of those who would harm themselves while ensuring the product remains available for appropriate medical or industrial purposes.”  

 

While the bill originally specified prohibition of ‘flavored’ nitrous oxide canisters targeting sale to youth, an amendment was adopted with bipartisan support in committee to expand the prohibition to all retail sale of nitrous oxide while creating exemptions to allow the sale of the product for legitimate purposes.  

 

The bill was laid over in the commerce committee for possible inclusion in a larger commerce bill.