World’s first laughing gas breathalyser being trialled by UK police forces in bid to combat ‘emerging threat’
The world’s first roadside laughing gas breathalyzer is currently undergoing trials with two police forces in southern England.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, along with Thames Valley Police, are using the innovative device to tackle what they call the “emerging threat” posed by drivers driving under the influence of nitrous oxide.
Illegal possession of this Class C drug, commonly known as NOS or “hippy crack,” can lead to a prison sentence of up to two years.
A spokesman for the force said: “Driving under the influence of nitrous oxide is an emerging threat to the safety of motorists on our roads.
“Its use can cause loss of consciousness and even neurological damage or death due to suffocation of the oxygen supply to the brain.
“Tragically our officers have already seen deaths linked to drivers under the influence of NOS.
“The innovative device is being tested by our officers to see if it can be used to detect whether a driver is under the influence of this harmful drug.
“If successful, this could lead to these drivers being prosecuted for drug driving offences.”
The alcohol analysis device, created by Respira Technologies after research at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, works by the user breathing into the portable device and the result comes within minutes.
It can detect whether the user has inhaled nitrous oxide for up to two hours.
Deputy Superintendent Emma Hart, of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police’s joint operations roads policing unit, said: “There is currently no device available that can prove a driver has inhaled laughing gas, making the investigation difficult.
“That’s why our forces are leading this testing phase to break new ground and prove that these devices can help save lives on our roads.
“Nitrous oxide is a growing problem, especially for young drivers who don’t understand the damage it can cause, so when we saw the opportunity to test this new technology we realized how important it could be to roll out these devices across the country.”
In 2023, 17-year-old Elliot Pullen and three 18-year-olds, Ethan Goddard and Daniel Hancock, were killed when the car they were passengers in crashed into a tree alongside the A415 in Marcham, Oxfordshire.
The driver, 18-year-old Thomas Johnson, was seen inhaling laughing gas behind the wheel and driving at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour just before the crash.
