Lambeth Council has become the first one in the country to ban the use of so-called ‘hippy crack’.
The move, which comes into force today, bans the use and supply of legal highs including nitrous oxide in public areas across the borough – anyone breaching the order can be issued with a £1,000 on-the-spot fine.
Although it’s a legal substance the gas can cause dizziness, affect a user’s judgement and in more serious cases causes unconsciousness and even death.
Lambeth’s cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Jane Edbrooke, 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 associated with certain legal highs has also blighted areas like Vauxhall and Clapham and now we have the power to do something about it.”
Lambeth Council first started receiving complaints from residents regarding laughing gas in the summer of 2014 and monitored incidents closely.
There have been 57 separate reports by police regarding legal highs in the borough over the last 12 months with incidents including robbery, theft, anti-social behaviour and sexual assault.
A month long consultation on the new PSPO ended on July 13 showed that 63% of respondents were in favour of the move.
Picture courtesy of ProMo-Cymru, with thanks
