Overview
- A man in his thirties has been indicted for road homicide and placed in pretrial detention after the death of a 19-year-old in Lille, with nitrous oxide bottles found in the vehicle.
- Nord deputy Vincent Ledoux urged creating a specific driving offense for nitrous oxide use and adding administrative tools such as seizing vehicles and cylinders.
- France’s Senate voted in March to penalize recreational misuse of nitrous oxide, and the final shape of the law depends on negotiations with the National Assembly.
- Addiction specialists warn the gas impairs motor coordination and perception even at low doses, and prolonged use can leave users intensely fatigued for hours, undermining vigilance.
- There is no routine blood or saliva test for nitrous oxide and detection is typically requested only in serious or fatal crashes, while surveys report rising youth use and some admit driving after consumption.