Cllr calling for age restrictions on nitrus oxide

The alarming increase in the number of nitrous oxide canisters being found in the Dunboyne area has been highlighted by local councillor Maria Murphy who says an age limit should be put on their sale to restrict young people from easily gaining access to them.

According to Cllr Murphy, the blue nitrous oxide canisters first started appearing in the village during Covid and that herself and other Tidy Towns volunteers came across them in areas where late night drinking occurred like the church car park, Dunboyne Park and the woods.

"The canisters were a step-up from the small silver bullets which we were finding before that. The canisters have number of legitimate commercial uses but young people are now obtaining them and using them for a dangerous activity," she said.

"Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is a gas that when inhaled causes quick rush and short lasting effects. When used in extra risky ways, used in large doses or used frequently over time it can cause harm to health and even result in death. It is worrying that the use of these canisters has increased at an alarming rate over the last couple of months.

"Where we were previously finding single canisters we are now finding boxes of them. We are even finding them in housing estates. One morning we found two boxes in close proximity and that is 12 canisters. It is clear that the increased quantities being used is being organised in some way and that is very worrying."

Cllr Murphy said she has been raising her concerns about the use of the canisters at the Meath Joint Policing Committee meetings but gardai say they are powerless to take any action as nitrous oxide is not listed as a controlled substance.

However, Cllr Murphy says she feels we have a "moral and social responsibility" to deal with this issue in a way which will restrict young people from getting access to them.

"We also have a responsibility to increase awareness so that parents can be alerted to the fact that their children might be using them. I don't want to see any young person being permanently damaged by this craze so its time to act now," she said.