If you’re heading to Cyprus for a holiday this summer and hoping for a party, the Foreign Office has some bad news for you.
Brits planning to jet abroad to the popular holiday hotspot have been issued a serious warning about new law changes – one of which being a ban on laughing gas.
Anyone caught with the substance will face hefty fines.... and potentially a prison sentence.
The updated advice reads: “Cyprus has a strictly enforced zero tolerance policy towards illegal drugs, which now includes laughing gas. If you are caught with any type of narcotic you will receive either a prison sentence or a hefty fine. The rules against possession of illegal drugs are stricter than in the UK.”
What Is Nitrous Oxide/Laughing Gas?
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, found inside the canisters, is among the top 10 most used drugs worldwide, according to the 2019 Global Drug Survey. It’s also the second most commonly used recreational drug in England and Wales after cannabis.
Nitrous oxide (or Nos) is typically inhaled from a balloon and has an instant effect, slowing down the brain and body’s responses. Some people will feel euphoria and calmness, others may get the giggles (hence the nickname laughing gas), while others can end up hallucinating or experiencing sound distortions.
You’ve probably seen the shiny metal canisters discarded on the floor. For the uninitiated, those canisters are typically emptied out into a balloon, and then people inhale the gas from the balloon. This is because if the gas is inhaled directly from the canister it can cause your throat muscle to spasm and stop you breathing.