The “proto”, as its followers call it, provides a euphoric effect. But its regular consumption can lead to burns, psychological disorders as well as neurological and cardiovascular sequelae, alert the police.
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This is very lucrative traffic. A one liter bottle of nitrous oxide costs around 25 euros and can then be used to make up to 400 balloons filled with laughing gas. They will be resold for between five and ten euros each before being inhaled in the evening by often very young consumers. A diverted use which is experiencing a disturbing success.
Commissioner William Hippert is deputy spokesperson for the judicial police, alert on the dangerousness of the product: “We’re talking about festive use, there’s nothing festive about it. The immediate effect is to trigger a giggle, these are just neurological reactions created by inhaling the gas. There’s not much time left. consequences on health are quite significant.With regular consumption, in addition to burns and certain psychological disorders, there are also proven significant risks from a neurological and cardiovascular point of view, which can sometimes lead to death with consumption. too important.”
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The “proto”, as its users call it, is classified as a poisonous substance but not a narcotic, which complicates the fight against its trafficking. Its sale is now prohibited to minors and an offense makes it possible to sanction the resellers, who are more and more numerous: “As we have a misuse, we find them in smuggling channels or illicit goods trafficking. This is particularly the case of deal points, where we have already seen, next to cannabis resin or counterfeit cigarettes, nitrous oxide cartridges.”
“Some sectors have developed by selling these products via pages on social networks to promote their merits and allow direct accessibility to consumers.”
William Hippertat franceinfo
To provide themselves, criminal networks do not hesitate to commit robberies. At the end of January, in Sarcelles, six armed criminals attacked a truck. They left with more than 2,000 liters of nitrous oxide.