World’s first nitrous oxide breathalyser to be trialled in the UK

A new nitrous oxide breathalyser is to be trialled by two police forces in the south of England, marking a world first in the fight against drug driving. 

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police will be testing the device as part of plans to tackle the ‘emerging threat’ of drivers taking to their vehicles while high on laughing gas (nitrous oxide) – also known as NOS and ‘hippy crack’. 

It is a class C drug, which if caught in the possession of, can lead to a two-year prison sentence. 

A police spokesperson said: “Driving under the influence of nitrous oxide is an emerging threat to the safety of motorists on our roads. 

“Its use can cause unconsciousness and even neurological damage or death from suffocation of the oxygen supply to the brain. 

“Tragically, our officers have already seen deaths connected to drivers who were under the influence of NOS. 

“The innovative device is being tested by our officers to see if it can be used to detect if a driver is under the influence of this harmful drug. 

“If successful, this could lead to these motorists to be prosecuted for drug driving offences.” 

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "We welcome this important trial and hope it leads to the device being used by all police forces.  

“Drug-driving is becoming far too common and so are its consequences. Having a means to detect anyone driving under the influence of nitrous oxide is a very positive step." 

• Drug driving on the rise across England and Wales
• Drink driving in the UK – statistics and data
• Drug driving laws

Created by Respira Technologies, with research from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the device is the first of its kind. 

It works by the driver breathing into the portable device, with the results arriving within a few minutes. 

The breathalyser can detect if a driver has inhaled nitrous oxide within the last two hours. 

Acting Superintendent Emma Hart, of the joint operations roads policing unit of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, said: “There is currently no device available that can prove a driver inhaled laughing gas, making prosecution difficult. 

“That is why our forces are leading this testing phase, to break new ground and prove these devices can help save lives on our roads. 

“Nitrous oxide is a growing issue, especially with young drivers who don’t understand the harm it can cause, so when we saw the opportunity to test this new technology, we knew how important it could be towards these devices being rolled out across the country.”