Paris: the consumption of nitrous oxide prohibited for minors on public roads in several districts

The consumption of nitrous oxide is prohibited for minors on public roads in several districts of Paris from Wednesday May 3 until July 31, according to an order issued on Tuesday by the Paris police headquarters. The possession and abandonment of containers of nitrous oxide on the public highway are also prohibited, while used cartridges sometimes litter the ground in certain streets.

The consumption of nitrous oxide is notably prohibited on the avenue des Champs-Elysées, the places du Trocadéro, de la Bastille, or even de la République, near the quays, in front of schools, colleges and high schools, in front of cinemas , theaters and museums, in front of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, near markets or even in front of metro or RER stations.

Consumption on the rise

Several streets and sectors from the 7th to the 11th, and from the 14th to the 20th arrondissement are also affected by the order of the Paris police headquarters, which is concerned about a “misuse of nitrous oxide”. This product knows since 2019 “a worrying resurgence among young people, sometimes outside of any festive context, accentuating the trivialization of its use”.

The prefecture also recalls that a record seizure of “14 tons of canisters” was carried out on August 12, 2022 in Île-de-France and that nitrous oxide “is now the third most consumed substance excluding tobacco and alcohol“.

“The number of cases evaluated by the addictovigilance network has multiplied by 10 since 2019. These consumptions are daily in nearly half of the cases. Sensory-motor deficits in young subjects can, in the absence of identification and of early and adapted care, be the cause of sequelae and potentially of persistent disability.”