The misuse of nitrous oxide by young people is a real public health issue, but the “Ripost” bill seems a “inappropriate and dangerous response”say health professionals.
The misuse of nitrous oxide, a cheap gas sold in supermarkets and on the Internet for food use, as a propellant in whipped cream siphons, or used medicinally for its pain-relieving properties, has become widespread in recent years in the party scene and among adolescents and young adults, who inhale it through a balloon. Presented Wednesday March 25 in the Council of Ministers, the bill « Riposte » plans in particular to make the inhalation of nitrous oxide* an offense punishable by one year of imprisonment and a fine of 3,750 euros, and to punish driving under its influence with a maximum of 3 years of prison and a fine of 9,000 euros.
Sanctions will not prevent risks
Despite the real public health challenge, this bill “transforms users into delinquents”which will not allow “neither to reduce consumption nor to prevent risks”warns the Addiction Federation in a press release on Wednesday. “We will not prevent young people from using by threatening them with fines or prison sentences”estimates Catherine Delorme, president of the Addiction Federation, “first addiction network in France”which brings together 850 health establishments and services and 500 health professionals. “On the other hand, we take the risk of keeping them away from care and seeing serious situations multiply. The response must be based on trust, prevention and support”.
Emphasis on prevention
The priority must be clear: strengthen prevention and outreach actions, as close as possible to young people and the places they live. A less spectacular approach than criminal sanctions… but whose effectiveness has been demonstrated. Faced with nitrous oxide, the Addiction Federation calls on the government and parliamentarians to initiate a coherent public health strategy, based on proven measures:
- strengthen prevention and information campaigns, particularly among young people, and better understand uses, their contexts and the needs to which they respond by relying on the expertise of addiction professionals, in order to construct truly appropriate responses;
- support risk reduction and proximity interventions, by providing long-term resources to addiction structures, educational actors and local authorities;
- better regulate the distribution and marketing of nitrous oxide, in line with the bill already adopted in the Senate.
These levers are currently insufficiently mobilized, even though the data show that prevention constitutes a determining factor in the evolution of young people’s behavior.
Le projet de loi RIPOST : de quoi s'agit-il ?
Le ministre de l’Intérieur Laurent Nuñez a présenté le projet de loi "RIPOST" pour Réponses immédiates aux phénomènes troublant l’ordre public, la sécurité et la tranquillité de nos concitoyens. L'objectif selon lui : renforcer l'arsenal législatif pour accroître les sanctions et dissuader les délinquants.
Sont concernés : "les rodéos qui mettent en danger les habitants et peuvent tuer, usage d’armes par destination de mortiers d’artifice contre les forces de l’ordre, usage détourné du protoxyde d’azote, trafics de stupéfiants… ces phénomènes troublent la vie des Français tout en mobilisant fortement les forces de police et de gendarmerie".
Ce projet de loi a pour objectif de répondre à ces pratiques dangereuses en renforçant les moyens d’action des forces de l’ordre, des autorités administratives et de la justice avec un objectif clair : durcir les sanctions et les systématiser. Le projet de loi "Ripost" prévoit notamment de faire de l'inhalation de protoxyde d'azote* un délit passible d'un an d'emprisonnement et de 3 750 euros d'amende, et de punir d'au maximum 3 ans de prison et 9 000 euros d'amende la conduite sous son emprise.
Télécharger le projet de loi.
*“Laughing gas” or “proto” is nitrous oxide, sold in supermarkets and on the Internet for food use, as a propellant in whipped cream siphons, or used in medicine for its pain-relieving properties.
To find out more:
Press release from the Addiction Federation: Nitrous oxide and the “Ripost” bill: we will not protect young people with fines and prison sentences.
