Prohibits the retail sale of nitrous oxide and establishes civil penalties for violations; includes nitrous oxide misuse in the health care and wellness…

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic10
• Republican6

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Christopher Ryan says this is needed

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used as a sedative in medical applications, as a propellant in both automotive and rocketry applications, and in food products. Unfortunately, the product is also misused as an inhalant for its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. When used medicinally, in controlled settings, nitrous oxide is delivered with up to 70 percent oxygen preventing the patient from only inhaling the gas. When used recreationally, 100 percent nitrous oxide is inhaled, displacing oxygen in the lungs causing serious health complications. The FDA warns that inhaling nitrous oxide can result in the following symptoms and serious health problems: Abnormal blood counts, asphyxia- tion, blood clots, frostbite, headache, impaired bowel and bladder func- tion, lightheadedness, limb weakness, loss of consciousness, numbness, palpitations, paralysis, psychiatric disturbances (delusions, hallucina- tions, paranoia, depression), tingling, trouble walking, vitamin B12 deficiency, and in some cases death. For individuals who regularly inhale nitrous oxide, it can lead to prolonged neurological effects, including spinal cord or brain damage, even after stopping use. Nitrous oxide misuse is increasingly becoming a larger problem for public health. According to the Journal of the American Medical Associ- ation, nitrous oxide caused deaths increased by more than 500 percent from 2010 to 2023. According to the National Survey Results on Drug Use by the NIB, inhalants are used more by adolescents and young adults than adults aged 26 and older. Further they found that in 2020, 6 percent of 8th graders, about 3 percent of 10th graders, and about 2 percent of 12th graders reported using inhalants in the last 12 months. Even more troubling among their findings is that the number of 8th graders that said they would disapprove of even trying an inhalant dropped below 80 percent for the first time in the survey's history in 2016 and continued to decline in years after. Nitrous oxide is currently permitted to be sold in New York State at retail to the public so long as, among some other requirements, it includes a warning of the health risks associated with misuse and the legitimate purpose for the product is indicated on the package. Despite these regulations, nitrous oxide is still sold in colorful and eye-catching packaging which some argue caters to the youth population. It is often combined with fruity flavors solely to improve the taste of the gas when inhaled which serves no legitimate culinary purpose, contrary to what sellers and manufacturers claim. This bill seeks to completely prevent the sale of nitrous oxide to the public outside of the acceptable uses already defined in the public health law. The bill does not punish people with substance use disorder but rather imposes civil penalties on businesses if they continue to sell nitrous oxide at retail to the public.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.