NHS hippy crack heists: Hospitals are warned thieves are now stealing nitrous ... trends now
Nitrous oxide suppliers have warned the NHS to review their security after a spike in incidents of thefts since the gas was banned and reclassified as a class C drug.
BOC, the UK's leading supplier of medicinal gasses, sent a letter to NHS staff revealing they have 'received a number of reports of thefts related to medical nitrous oxide cylinders in recent weeks'.
The firm warned: 'In light of the recent reclassification of nitrous oxide under the Misuse of Drugs Act, we feel it is important to draw your attention to the possibility that legitimate users of medical nitrous oxide may become a target of further thefts.'
In the letter, which MailOnline has seen, the supplier urged NHS hospitals and their customers to review their medical gas cylinder security to deter any potential misuse or theft.
It comes after a new law introduced in November classified nitrous oxide as a Class C drug and made it illegal to possess it for the purpose of getting high.
But youngsters were undeterred and vowed to carry on using it, with their demand now fueling cannister thefts from NHS hospitals across the country.
Four men were jailed for four years in 2020 after they raided hospitals in the Durham area and filled a transit van with the nitrous oxide cylinders that they stole
Banned laughing gas canisters left behind from the Notting Hill Carnival back in August 2022
Social media profiles claim to offer nitrous oxide for sale - under the guise of doing so for 'catering only'
Nitrous oxide, also known as NOS or hippy crack, is now a controlled Class C drug, meaning that dealers could face up to 14 years in jail
Thomas Salton, 30, was found with about 60 small nitrous oxide canisters, 48 one-gram bags of ketamine and £39,000 cash when officers pulled his Range Rover over on December 1.
A further 408 nitrous oxide canisters and 965 grams of ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting 10 miles from his home.
Police said that Salton was in midst of a plan to supply a Christmas party with these drugs. Among the seized items was a 'naughty and nice' list of customers who wanted party bags with drugs in and those who did not.
The drug dealer was sentenced to 35 months in jail in a landmark conviction at Basildon Crown Court in February - the first since the class C drug was outlawed in November last year.
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In Brighton, which was dubbed the 'Hippy Crack Capital of Britain' after more than 150kg of nitrous oxide canisters were picked up during a beach clean-up, defiant young revellers said the ban will not stop them using the party high.
One 20-year-old student said: 'Yes, I've done it and this won't stop me.
'If I can get hold of it I'll still do it. It's better than drinking yourself stupid.
'It's not addictive so I don't see what the problem is - you can't ban everything.'
The law change came after the government became 'increasingly concerned about misuse of nitrous oxide and its impact on society'.
In February, the first conviction under the new law saw a 30-year-old man jailed for 35 months after police caught him in the midst of of a plan to supply a Christmas party with drugs including nitrous oxide.
The gas is generally used by medical staff as pain relief and for sedation purposes - pregnant women who are in labour are commonly given it to help with the pain of contractions.
But as a recreational drug it is often referred to as 'hippy crack', 'laughing gas' or 'loons' - a reference to the party balloons it is inhaled from - and is especially popular with young people.
Inhaling the gas brings about short-term feelings of lightheadedness, fits of giggles and hallucinations.
In 2020/21, it was the third most used drug among 16 to 59-year-olds in England and Wales, according to an NHS study.
Heavy use of nitrous oxide can starve the brain and body of oxygen which can cause serious neurological damage and even death.
It has been identified as having potentially fatal consequences on the UK's roads with incidents of drug driving involving drivers inhaling
