Research and analysis

Nitrous oxide: updated harms assessment

This report provides an updated assessment of the health and social harms of nitrous oxide.

From:
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
Published
6 March 2023
Last updated
22 June 2023 — See all updates

Documents

Nitrous oxide: updated harms assessment (accessible)

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Nitrous oxide: updated harms assessment

PDF, 439 KB, 41 pages

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Cover letter: ACMD nitrous oxide review (accessible)

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Cover letter: ACMD nitrous oxide review

PDF, 163 KB, 7 pages

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Government response: ACMD nitrous oxide review (accessible)

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Government response: ACMD nitrous oxide review

PDF, 94 KB, 3 pages

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Government letter to ACMD: response to recommendations 2 to 7 in the updated nitrous oxide harms assessment (accessible)

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Government letter to ACMD: response to recommendations 2 to 7 in the updated nitrous oxide harms assessment

PDF, 180 KB, 7 pages

Response from the devolved administrations to the ACMD nitrous oxide review

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Details

In 2021, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned to conduct an updated assessment of the health and social harms of nitrous oxide and provide advice on whether nitrous oxide should be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

On Tuesday 7 February 2023, the ACMD received a supplementary commission to expedite this review and provide advice by the end of February 2023.

In response, the ACMD provided this report, which reviews the evidence of health and social harms since the ACMD’s last assessment of nitrous oxide in 2015.

The government responded to the report in March 2023.

Published 6 March 2023
Last updated 22 June 2023 + show all updates

  1. Added response from the devolved administrations.

  2. The government letter to ACMD on scheduling and lawful use of nitrous oxide under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, dated 9 June 2023, has been moved to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scheduling-and-lawful-access-to-nitrous-oxide-letter-to-the-acmd.

  3. The latest letters from the government to the ACMD have been added. Covering the scheduling and lawful access to nitrous oxide under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and a response to recommendations 2 to 7 of the updated harms assessment.

  4. Added government response to the report.

  5. Added accessible HTML version of the report.

  6. First published.