Hundreds of empty canisters, used to take the legal high laughing gas, have been found strewn across a busy residential street.
The large pile of used Nitrous Oxide capsules were found close to a children’s playground at Despenser Gardens in Riverside, Cardiff , on Monday.
Although the drug is currently legal in the UK, Riverside councillor Iona Gordon said she was concerned the number of cannisters found suggests users are at serious risk of overdosing or causing themselves harm.
Addressing 'youth annoyance'
“It concerns me greatly that young people in Riverside are taking these risks, but we have been aware of concerns about young people causing problems in Despenser Gardens for some time now,” she said.
“We haven’t had an incident of this kind of rubbish being littered before, but somebody from the council will be cleaning up the area.
“We have had a lot of complaints about adolescents in the park, and we are taking measures to address youth annoyance.”
Over the last two years, empty canisters of laughing gas have become a common sight outside nightclubs and parks where people take the drug by inhaling it through special dispensers.
The anaesthetic gas is still used for pain relief in dentistry and childbirth, but outside of the medical professional, its popularity among young people for recreational use is a legal grey area.
Although selling to under-18s is prohibited, the drug remains easily accessible for adults to buy.
As little as £15
Readily stocked and available on large retail sites, users can buy 48 canisters of the substance for as little as £15.
While the drug is still legal, overconsumption can often lead to fatal consequences. Between 2006 and 2012, at least 17 people have died from breathing in laughing gas.
According to medical experts, the drug can cause death due to a lack of oxygen entering the body, while the risk is increased if the gas is consumed in enclosed spaces or rapidly consumed.
More: How young people using 'legal highs' in Bridgend are being linked to crime and medical emergencies
Discussing local efforts to clamp down on youth antisocial behaviour in Riverside, Councillor Gordon said Cardiff council was working closely with the police and community to tackle youth annoyance and drugs use.
“Councillor Caro Wild’s recent election as a Riverside councillor has been a welcome addition,” she said.
“He spends a lot of time talking to youths and people at the park to try and tackle these types of issues.
“We are also working with the police and community to bring about more youth provision. It is really important that there are more opportunities in Riverside for young people to engage in.”
See- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/used-legal-high-canisters-were-10630849
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