Thessaloniki prosecutor asks for crackdown on laughing gas
Thessaloniki prosecutor Eleftherios Michailidis asked Monday for the police to step up a crackdown on laughing gas. The sale of small canisters of nitrous oxide has become very popular among young people, particularly on some Greek islands.
Over the last few days, police on Corfu have seized almost 2,500 of the tiny canisters and arrested six people for selling laughing gas at cafes and bars on the island. The gas is still used for pain relief by doctors in some cases but has gained in recreational use in recent years.
It is one of the most widely used drugs in several European countries and has been linked to several deaths. An 18-year-old British tourist recently suffered brain damage from inhaling the chemical while on holiday on Crete.