Lambeth has become the first borough in London to ban laughing gas.
Last night Lambeth council approved the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that essentially bans the legal high.
From August 17, anybody caught using or supplying legal highs, such as laughing gas, in public areas in the borough could face a maximum fine of £1000.
The Antisocial Behaviour Crime & Policing Act, introduced in 2014, means local authorities have the power to come up with their own laws to tackle antisocial behaviour through PSPOs.
Lambeth says they started receiving complaints about laughing gas last summer and there have been 57 reports by police regarding legal highs in the borough over the last year – with incidents including robbery, theft, anti-social behaviour and sexual assault.
Cllr Jane Edbrooke, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “Legal highs are simply not safe – we saw that just days ago with the death of a teenager who had inhaled laughing gas.
“It is our duty to keep our residents safe and this new order should deter people from supplying and using legal highs in the borough.
“The litter and antisocial behaviour has also blighted areas like Vauxhall and Clapham and now we have the power to do something about it.”
Yeh, like the ban on alcohol in some public areas brought in by Lambeth Council – that really worked did it not? It’s all well a good banning these things on paper but who actually imnplements the policy. I do not see any official(s) dealing with this. Not sure on laughing gas but I know hot air when I see it.
Although the definition of Legal High that they appear to be using means that they are planning on banning Incense, Paint and Perfume…
See https://london.pirateparty.org.uk/2015/07/28/perfume-and-paints-to-be-banned-across-lambeth/ for the Pirate Parties response.