Police in Hampshire have launched a world-first trial of a breathalyser designed to detect if a driver has been using laughing gas. The technology is being tested by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, with the trial running until 5 June 2026.
The handheld device, developed by Respira Technologies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, can identify if someone has inhaled nitrous oxide up to two hours after use. This tool addresses a significant gap in enforcement, as officers previously had no reliable roadside method to prove a driver was under the influence of the substance.
Nitrous oxide is a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and those caught possessing it for unlawful use can face up to two years in prison. Acting Superintendent Emma Hart of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit warned that inhaling the gas leads to immediate cognitive decline and slower reaction times, which can cause drivers to lose the ability to mitigate risks or even suffer a medical episode behind the wheel.
The push for this technology follows a rise in the use of laughing gas among younger drivers. The dangers were highlighted by a fatal incident on 20 June 2023, when a driver inhaling the substance crashed at 100mph in Marcham, Oxfordshire, resulting in the deaths of three teenage passengers. The driver was later sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to nine years and four months in prison.
The trial has been funded through the National Police Chiefs’ Council National Science and Innovation Board. Following the conclusion of the trial, police will review the findings to determine whether the breathalyser could be adopted for nationwide use.
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