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Laughing gas protest on Parliament square – video Guardian

Nitrous oxide campaigners take drug outside UK parliament in protest at bill

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About 100 people attend a mass inhalation against psychoactive substances bill, which would criminalise sale and supply of ‘nox’ and other drugs

A protest against the government’s proposed ban of legal highs erupted in laughter on Saturday, as dozens of demonstrators simultaneously inhaled nitrous oxide outside the Houses of Parliament.

The demonstration was in opposition to the psychoactive substances bill, which would criminalise the sale and supply of any mood-altering drug not specifically excluded from existing drugs legislation.

The protesters, who ranged from their early 20s to late 30s, began gathering at Parliament Square just before 2pm. More than 1,500 had signed up to the demonstration on Facebook, but only about one hundred attended the event.

As Big Ben counted down to 3pm, they gathered close together while balloons of nitrous oxide were handed out by organisers and others. As the chimes began ringing the hour, they simultaneously took hits of the drug, breathing in deeply from the balloons, then out again to reinflate them several times. As the final bell tolled, the group erupted in fits of laughter.

Josh Dexter, 24, had travelled from Sheffield to take part. He felt it was an important protest in which to take part. “NO2 is an incredibly clean drug,” said Dexter, who works as a charity fundraiser. “I don’t think there are any side effects – unless you are doing 10 balloons at once. It’s short, it’s quick, it’s clean.”

The mass gathering in Parliament Square was a protest against proposals to ban nitrous oxide as part of the psychoactive substances bill. Photograph: Lynda Bowyer/Demotix/Corbis

His friend, Niki Hughes, who also works in the charity sector, added: “It’s fun. It makes you laugh. The clue is in the name: it’s laughing gas.”

But she said the principle of the protest was more important than the drug being used. “It’s more about being able to have control over your own mind and body and not having this knee-jerk, Protestant, ‘Oh my god, people are having fun, let’s ban it before something bad happens’ reaction,” said 38-year-old Hughes.

“The whole drug laws need looking at. If we are going to have legal tobacco and alcohol with all their side effects, why can’t we have legal highs?”

Sayyid Ali, who runs a website, said he used nitrous oxide as an aid to meditation. He said he believed a combination of cannabis and nitrous oxide allowed him to access higher states of consciousness.

“When I use them together to meditate it’s a really profound, spiritual experience,” the 36-year-old said. “It’s not the same if you are doing it at a rave or mix it with alcohol, but if you treat it with respect I believe in what I’ve learned from it.

“I’ve changed as a person through doing it.”

Protesters hold nitrous oxide balloons at the ready. Photograph: Guy Corbishley/Demotix/Corbis

The demonstration was organised by the Psychedelic Society of London, whose members were on hand dishing out balloons filled with nitrous oxide, known as nox, as well as leaflets instructing protesters how to use the drug safely.

Stephen Reid, founder and director of the society, said the point of the protest was to show that nitrous oxide, as well as many other drugs, could be enjoyed safely.

He said: “We accept that drugs have some risk, there’s no doubt about that. It’s also the case that some substances are much less risky than others. Nitrous oxide is absolutely one of the least risky substances that people can take.

“Prohibition is not going to make anyone safer. That’s a key part of this. By prohibiting substances all you do is drive them underground and make it harder for people to access proper education about them. You can affect the quality and the purity, and they start getting cut with various dangerous substances, adulterated. And interestingly you don’t even reduce the prevalence.”

He defended the demonstration against the charge that it was an inane stunt. “I’m not expecting Theresa May to come down, shake my hand and say: ‘I got it all wrong let’s rethink’,” he said.

“This is about starting a conversation about the illiberal and irrational nature of drug laws in this country.”

More on this story

More on this story

  • Laughing gas to become illegal class C substance in UK

  • Young people harmed by nitrous oxide use most likely to be Asian men – study

  • Rishi Sunak to ignore independent advice and ban laughing gas in UK

  • Michael Gove defends UK government plan to ban laughing gas

  • UK ban on laughing gas sale or possession poised to go ahead

  • Dutch to ban laughing gas over fears for health and road safety

  • Doctors warn of rise in nerve damage linked to nitrous oxide

  • ‘Everyone’s gagging for it’ – how Britain got high on nitrous oxide

  • Priti Patel orders review into effects of nitrous oxide

  • Justice secretary hits back at criticism of nitrous oxide ban

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